The much awaited Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) for financial assistance of less privileged segments of the society would be formally launched on Tuesday.
The inauguration ceremony in this regard would be held at the mausoleum of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, Chairperson of the Programme, Farzana Raja told APP in an exclusive interview.
Under the scheme, some 3.5 million deserving households would get financial assistance of Rs 2,000 every two months and as per rules money orders would be sent in the name of the women at their given addresses through Pakistan Post.
"The government is formulating long-term policies to eradicate poverty from the country and in the next phase, around 7 million families will get financial assistance," Farzana Raja said. Besides the income support, the members of deserving families would also be provided technical training for running small businesses, she added.
She said that around 12 to 14 percent people with low income would benefit from the scheme across the country with special focus on remote areas of Balochistan, Chitral, Northern Areas, South Waziristan, Kohistan and Tharparkar.
"Our teams including both the male and the female staff are engaged in distributing the Scheme Card to targeted people in the far flung areas," she informed. Meanwhile, the PPP government intends to expand the scope of programme to health and life sectors. Farzana said the Income Support Programme was transformation of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto's dreams and accomplishment of an important commitment of PPP manifesto. "BB was always concerned for less privileged womenfolk and made endeavours for their betterment," Farzana said, adding that Ms Bhutto believed in supremacy of basic human rights and fundamental freedom of expression. President Asif Ali Zardari is leading the party in right direction and he has taken numerous steps to strengthen democratic institutions of the country.