ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday directed the reinclusion of eligible persons into Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), who were struck out of the beneficiary list by the previous government.
He gave the direction in a meeting held with Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation Shazia Atta Marri. The prime minister welcomed devising a procedure about making an appeal for reinclusion of the persons expelled from BISP.
PM Shehbaz Sharif was briefed on the proposed procedure of the appeal for such 820,000 people who were evicted from the BISP by the previous government without any investigation.
Shazia Marri also updated the prime minister regarding the working of her ministry. She hailed announcing assistance for the deserving people of Balochistan under BISP and offering scholarships to students besides extending financial support to the parents of female students.
BISP beneficiaries review
Last week, Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Security Shazia Marri said that BISP beneficiaries who were disqualified during the previous government’s tenure, would be reviewed for inclusion.
“The names of those BISP beneficiaries who were declared ineligible to receive cash assistance on the basis of unjustified socioeconomic data filters during the previous government’s tenure, would be reviewed and efforts will be made to include them,” Shazia Marri said.
READ MORE: Govt to review disqualified BISP beneficiaries: Shazia Marri
She said the beneficiaries were excluded from the BISP lists on the basis of the data filters for the reasons of making urgent CNIC or passport and foreign visit for performing religious obligation which was a matter of great concern.
Shazia Marri said a mechanism for appeal would be developed for the disqualified beneficiaries so that their cases could be reviewed for inclusion in the programme.
Criticizing the previous government for changing the name of BISP, the minister said that programme was launched in 2008 as per the vision of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto to provide relief to those living below poverty line and legalized in the year 2010.
Shazia Marri said she will visit 16 zonal offices of the BISP across the country to get first hand information about the issues being faced by the beneficiaries as well as those who intended to get them registered for the programme.
She added the BISP’s coverage will also be expanded after getting the people’s inputs. She said the present government would prioritize provision of maximum economic relief to the masses who had suffered a lot during the previous tenure.
Responding to a question, the minister dispelled the impression of closure of any of the Ehsaas programmes. She said three BISP programmes including Waseela-i-Rozgar were closed by the previous government and would be revived soon.
