Federal Minister and Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) Farzana Raja has termed the BISP as Asia's unique initiative for poverty alleviation, saying the programme has received international appreciation due to its significance and transparency.
"International organisations like the World Bank have approved funds for this programme, while UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has appreciated the programme and said that he wants to present this programme in front of world as a role model", Farzana Raja said while addressing a concluding session of a two day national workshop of Divisional Directors and other staff members of the BISP here on Sunday.
She highlighted the importance and advantages of BISP saying that this is a revolutionary programme under which women are being empowered and millions of poor families are being given direct financial support. This will go a long way to make millions of rural women more confident to play their due role in socio economic development of the country, she added.
She said that the recently launched component of BISP Wasila-e-Haq goes a step further by providing hundreds of poor families Rs 300,000 per family for their self employment every month.
She said that the self employment money is being awarded through a transparent draw of the female family heads thus making women the owners of the family business in the process. Farzana Raja rejected the impression that political interests are involved in the launch of this programme saying that the programme was not initiated for political gains but to empower masses in accordance to the vision of Benazir Bhutto. The beauty of BISP is the fact that the government is marching along with the opposition parties for the completion of the common mission to eradicate poverty from the country.
It is for the first time in the history of the country that a comprehensive Poverty Survey has been completed successfully in 16 districts.
She said soon the Benazir Smart Card will be issued so poor residents of those districts can benefit. The card will entitle them to be the beneficiaries of each and every government sponsored welfare scheme without red tape and nepotism. She informed that President Asif Ali Zardari has instructed that money orders of Benazir Income Support Programme should be delivered directly to the women peasant at home, so that these will not be returned to the post offices.
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