KALLAR SYEDAN: Prime Minister Imran Khan termed uplift of poor and underprivileged segments a key responsibility of the government and said the network of socio-welfare projects would be expanded to benefit the deserving masses.
The prime minister, sitting under an old Banyan tree in Kallar Syedan along with the beneficiaries of Ehsaas Kifalat Programme, said the financial assistance was aimed at easing up the difficulties of deserving people. The visit to the outskirts of Rawalpindi was meant at reviewing the enrolment of new beneficiaries included in the second phase of Ehsaas Kifalat programme.
In an informal interaction with beneficiaries, the prime minister assured that the government would extend them every possible support in areas of education, health and housing. He expressed satisfaction that seven million households had been registered under Ehsaas Kifalat that would be given Rs 12,000 every six months.
He said health cards with insurance up to Rs700,000 would be issued to people to lessen their burden of expensive medical treatment. He also said that undergraduate scholarships would be given to deserving students to ensure their inclusion in mainstream system.
PM Imran Khan said the government had launched the construction of affordable residences under Naya Pakistan project. He mentioned that another upcoming project would offer rent of houses to be accommodated against the payment of instalments in purchase of constructed property.
He said the government would provide Rs10 billion as interest-free loans as house-building finance for deserving people. He said financial assistance would be given to masses to help run small businesses to earn their livelihood.
The prime minister said transparency and merit would be ensured in disbursement of cash under the Ehsaas socio-welfare programme. He recalled that 30,000 non-deserving people were delisted from the Ehsaas lists, who had faked their identities as poor. He said nobody could raise a question on the transparency of Ehsaas programme and cash disbursement was made on a non-political basis.
Special Assistant on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation Dr Sania Nishtar in briefed the prime minister and said 70 percent of the comprehensive Ehsaas survey had been completed and will be finalized by June.
She said all those identified for enrollment through the new survey will be given Rs2000 a month on a continuing basis, to assist them with their basic needs.
She said 280,000 families would be sent SMS today informing them that they could collect Rs 12,000. She assured that the principles of transparency, honesty and merit would be maintained in cash disbursement.
Women beneficiaries of the programme talked to the prime minister and expressed gratitude that Ehsaas programme would prove helpful in reducing their financial ordeal.
