World Bank delegation led by Lire Ersado appreciated the innovative ideas being implemented by Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) to ensure transparency in selection of beneficiaries and the payment mechanism.
The delegation met with the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety, Faisal Karim Kundi on Friday.
The World Bank delegation reiterated its continued support to BISP’s efforts toward alleviating poverty in Pakistan and expressed desire to visit the BISP field offices to observe the cash disbursement among the beneficiaries and registration process under the dynamic registry.
Ersado acknowledged that BISP is totally apolitical in its functions and underscored that this helps to a great deal in uniting all the stakeholders.
He said that the World Bank would appreciate it if BISP could share the lessons learnt during disbursement of relief packages among the recent flood affectees with the expert of the World Bank (WB).
He said that the success of BISP’s Crisis-Resilient Social Protection (CRISP) project was also a matter of pride for the Bank.
Faisal Karim Kundi apprised the delegation on various initiatives of BISP, which included, launch of dynamic survey, the hiring of family members of BISP beneficiaries for dynamic survey, release of a tranche of Rs 55 billion for Benazir Kafalat beneficiaries and Rs 13 billion for Benazir Education Stipends beneficiaries, inclusion of transgender in Kafalat Program, payment Rs 70 billion package for the BISP beneficiaries who were affected by the recent floods and introduction of appeal mechanism for more than eight lac BISP beneficiaries who were removed in the previous government.
Earlier,Minister of State for Law and Justice Shahadat Awan on Friday said Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) had taken several steps to control the illegal deductions and safe transfer of funds to its beneficiaries.
Responding to a question, raised by Senator Fawzia Arshad, the minister said as per contracts signed between the BISP and its partner banks, the financial institutions were fully responsible to compensate the aggrieved beneficiaries on spot in case of illegal deductions/embezzlements as well as to blacklist the involved ‘Point of Sale’ agents.
He said the payment mechanism had been fully converted to Biometric Verification System and payments were being disbursed under control environment at campsites for ensuring transparency.
He said monitoring of payments at all levels was ensured to cater for the issues of illegal deductions/embezzlements.
Shahadat said spot checks and surprise visits at disbursement points were made by BISP Head Office and regional/ provincial teams during the disbursement days.
