ISLAMABAD: The ongoing distribution of Rs 203 billion to almost 17 million deserving families would come to an end on August 31, 2020, with the completion of Pakistan's largest cash distribution drive for the needy under federal government's Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme.

As of Saturday, Rs 175.5 billion were distributed among almost 14.5 million beneficiaries under six categories of Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme that had started in April this year.

Previously, the federal government had earmarked Rs 144 billion under Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme to provide one-time financial cash assistance of Rs 12,000 each to 12 million beneficiaries whose livelihoods were adversely affected as a result of restrictive measures taken to stem the spread of coronavirus in Pakistan. These 12 million beneficiaries were divided into three categories. However, with the inclusion of categories III-A, IV and V, the funds and beneficiaries have been revised with Rs 203 billion to be distributed among 16.9 million beneficiaries under Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme.

According to data issued by Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety (PASS) Division, Rs 56.8 billion have, so far, been distributed among 4.6 million beneficiaries under category-I of Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme, Rs 43.1 billion among 3.5 million beneficiaries under category-II, Rs 37 billion among 3 million beneficiaries under category-III, Rs 6.8 billion among 5.6 million beneficiaries under category-III A, Rs 13.9 billion among 1.1 million beneficiaries under category-IV and Rs 17.5 billion distributed among 1.4 million beneficiaries under category V.

Although, the cash distribution under Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme would be completed by August 31, the eligible persons facing biometric verification as well as children or spouses of those eligible persons who have been deceased would be allowed to receive cash till one after August 31, PASS Division said in a statement.

The eligible persons for Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme have been identified from the most vulnerable groups in Pakistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit Baltistan (GB) identified through a combination of the existing socioeconomic registry maintained by Ehsaas, SMS (Short Messaging Service) registration and web-based registration with stringent verification processes.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020