Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is banking heavily upon Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) to revive its lost popularity in the province of Punjab. According to the PPP, Punjab sources, BISP is gaining popularity among the poorest of the poor in Punjab, and the party is winning their sympathies with every passing day.
BISP was initiated by the government with initial allocation of Rs 34 billion (US $425 million approximately), for the year 2008-09, which is the third largest allocation in the total budget and is 0.3 percent of the GDP for the year 2008-09. The programme was initiated to partially offset the impact of inflation on the purchasing power of the poorer sections of the society.
In the years 2005-07, inflation stood at almost 10 percent with food inflation being in the range of 13-15 percent. In the year 2007-08, sharp rise in oil prices and primary products in the international as well as domestic markets resulted in double-digit inflation rate, which has almost halved the purchasing power of the people. Therefore, there is an urgent need for direct and speedy relief to the poor sections of the society and BISP is the response to the above compulsions.
The programme is aimed at covering almost 15 percent of the entire population, which constitutes 40 percent of the population, below the poverty line. A monthly payment of Rs 1000/ per family would increase the income of a family earning Rs 5000 by 20 percent whereby, husband, wife and dependent children constitute a family. BISP will cover all four provinces including FATA, AJK, FANA & ICT.
"Many widows and helpless ladies in the society are benefited from the programme," said Azma Bukhari, Member Provincial Assembly (MPA) in Punjab, adding, she knows the widows having won the balloting, and receiving handsome amount to run their family affairs. She said those who are being helped out are distributing sweets and praying for the PPP, now in Punjab. She expressed hope that BISP would play a miracle role in winning the hearts of disgruntled voters and supporters of the party. Furthermore, the PPP government has also planned high subsidy on utility stores for the masses.
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