Director General, Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) Punjab Nadeem Alam Butt said on Tuesday that disbursement of quarterly grants, recently enhanced by the government to Rs 10,500 per registered family, was in progress and so far a sum of Rs 30.5 billion has been distributed among over 2.9 million families under strict monitoring by BISP field teams across the province.
BISP was country’s biggest social protection program and disbursement of Feb-Mar, third quarter of the ongoing fiscal year, was in progress to cover over 4.394 million registered families living below the poverty line, DG BISP Punjab told mediapersons, according to a release issued by BISP spokesman. He said, BISP field teams were alert and monitoring the distribution process so that the financial assistance should reach only to the deserving families in a transparent manner.
In addition to Kifalat program, BISP also increased educational scholarships for school children of beneficiary families, Nadeem Alam Butt said adding that BISP was paying Rs 2000 per son and Rs 2500 per daughter of the registered women at primary level, Rs 3000 for boys and Rs 3500 for girls at secondary level and Rs 4000 for boys and Rs 4500 for girls at higher secondary level. However, scholarships are granted only when attendance of the student is 70 per cent.
Butt asked beneficiary families who have not yet received their quarterly grants to approach their nearest retailer and receive their whole amount along with the receipt. In case of any complaint, women should feel free to contact their nearest BISP tehsil office or contact officials via BISP toll free helpline 0800-26477 or dial Director General BISP Punjab helpline number 042-35415143.
DG BISP Punjab said that BISP sends message to deserving registered families only from 8171 and advised them not to rely on messages received from other numbers.
