Benazir Bhutto

As a comprehensive social safety net, the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) has introduced schemes to uplift the living standards of the poor segments of society besides providing them monthly cash grant as an immediate relief. In this regard, provision of demand-driven vocational training is one of the instrumental steps.
Under The scheme (Waseela-e-Rozgar), demand-driven training is being imparted to beneficiary families in line with job opportunities available both at the national and international level. Under the scheme, one member of each deserving family is being imparted skill/vocational training aimed at providing them economic self-sustainability.
Keeping in view the vision of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, the vocational/skills training under the Waseela-e-Rozgar initiative of the BISP is also contributing to the empowerment of working women. Under this initiative, only the head of a registered deserving family or her nominated person can be imparted with this modem technical training.
Likewise, BISP encourages women to play their role in the generation activities. This role of women would bring prosperity to the working/labourer class. The BISP has taken these measures because of the global economic recession and exceptional food inflation that has triggered apprehensions that the already impoverished would not be able to sustain the economic shock and will plunge deeper into the abyss of poverty and hunger.
The ordinary labourer class in Pakistan has also become vulnerable in this scenario. Hence, the Benazir Income Support Programme emerged as a long-awaited ray of hope for the millions of hopeless. The most important aspect of the programme remained its contribution in poverty eradication.
As a result of transparent and effective mechanisms adopted by the BISP, it has become first-ever such initiative in the social sector of the country, which has gained the support and trust of various prestigious international organisations as transparency, objectivity and impartiality have been the hallmark of this programme. To improve the procedure further, and establish utmost transparency, the BISP has successfully conducted a countrywide door-to-door Poverty Survey to identify the deserving poor families.
As far as payment mechanism is concerned, the BISP has also introduced state-of-the-art technology ie Benazir Smart Cards and Mobile Phone Banking. These steps would not only strengthen the delivery system further but would also facilitate beneficiary families in receiving cash grant without any hassle. With the introduction of this system, the BISP will be able to obtain real-time reconciliation and check on leakages.
It is a matter of great satisfaction that the measures taken by the BISP are resulting in relief to the people in need, especially, the poorest of the poor of society. The birth anniversary of Shaheed Mohtarma is an occasion for us to reaffirm our commitment with the poor masses of Pakistan that they would not be left alone and they would be provided equal economic opportunities as well a bright future, as it was dreamt and wished by Shaheed Benazir Bhutto.