NADRA barred from issuing second tranche: flood-affected families' complaints remain unattended

International Donors have asked the Federal Government to ensure the resolution of complaints of the flood affected people before issuing second tranche, after which NADRA was barred from issuing second instalment, sources in NADRA revealed to Business Recorder on Wednesday.
They said that the Federal Government has directed the provincial governments to provide information regarding the complaints of flood affected people who have not been issued Watan Card so far. However, two provinces including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Jammu & Kashmir have also demanded of the federal government to address the complaints of the affected families of these provinces as well, they added.
The Government will conduct survey pertaining to the damages of the people after which it will decide as to how much amount will be given to affected families, sources said, adding that it is being expected that out of 1.68 million Watan Card holders 1.1 million families can be given second tranche, which will be of Rs 20,000. When this scribe contacted Tariq Malik, Deputy Chairman NADRA, he said that the Government is conducting a third party survey to ascertain how many people are meeting the criteria of second tranche.
Malik said that the provinces were asked by the Federal Government to conduct the survey of the affected people so that the second instalment of the flood relief package could be released. The survey will be completed in a month or two after which affected families will get second instalment through Watan Cards issued to them, he added.
It is yet to be decided either the second tranche will be Rs 20,000 or Rs 40,000, which will be decided in consultation with international donor agencies, Tariq Malik said. "Donors have drawn a line and urged the Government to ensure the provision of total relief package to affected widows and handicaps," Malik said, adding that these people would not be brought under test of survey, while others will get second instalment in the wake of survey.
"We cannot give the exact number to whom the second tranche being given, but there are possibilities that about 1 million or 1.1 million would get the instalment," he said. Responding to a question regarding the complaint redressal, Tariq Malik said that NADRA soon after completion of issuing Watan Card started hearing the complaints under its Complaints Redressal System and NADRA resolved over 205,923 complaints regarding the Watan Cards.
He said that people who were declared eligible and legitimate beneficiaries have received the cash assistance like other Watan Card holders. Malik said that some provinces have demanded to address the complaints and after which survey would be conducted to ascertain the exact number who get the second instalment. Malik said that Federal Government through Watan Card has distributed over Rs 32 billion among 1.68 million flood affected families out of total 1.8 million estimated initially. He said that 95 per cent of legitimate beneficiaries have got the cash assistance.