The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet has approved the release of Rs75 billion to the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) for emergency cash assistance for daily wagers.
The ECC meeting, chaired by Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez soon after a meeting with Prime Minister Imran, convened the ECC meeting to divert Rs75 billion to the BISP, from Rs200 billion allocated to the Ministry of Industries and Production for disbursement to daily wagers.
The BISP Board has approved that in order to identify the beneficiaries for Ehsaas Labour (Category-IV), the eligibility criteria used for Category-III of Ehsaas emergency cash may be used.
The applications will be received only through Ehsaas Labour portal for inclusion of beneficiaries in Category-IV.
Cash disbursement of Rs12,000 (one-time assistance) will be made to eligible applicants through existing payment mechanism of the BISP.
Provinces, the AJK, GB and the ICT will be allocated quotas in Ehsaas Labour assistance in accordance with their population share.
The ECC approved the emergency cash assistance (criteria and mechanism) to the labour whose livelihoods has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and they have to be registered at a web portal, and go through a strict procedure, added an official.
The official added that Rs75 billion plus those donated in the prime minister's fund would be used to support the daily wagers.
The prime minister on May 3, 2020, announced that the funds collected through Prime Minister's COVID-19 Pandemic Relief Assistance Fund, 2020, will be used to assist the labour whose livelihood have been affected due to the lockdown and its impact on the economy. He also announced that the funds would be disbursed through Ehsaas Emergency Cash programme.
The prime minister had also announced that for every rupee donated, the government shall match four rupees in the fund. The Rs75 billion released to the BISP has been diverted from Rs200 billion earmarked in the prime minister's relief package for distribution among labour in the country.
The modalities of the disbursement are worked out by the Finance Division, Poverty Alleviation Division, and the BISP.
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