ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has accorded approval to setting up of ‘Koi Bhooka Na Soye Fund’ following which the fund has been set up to collect public donations for expansion of ‘Koi Bhooka Na Soye’ (no one should go to bed hungry) initiative nationwide.

This initiative has been made operational under the administrative purview of Ehsaas Programme.

Recently, the PM had launched ‘Koi Bhooka Na Soye’ programme ahead of the ongoing Islamic month of Ramazan.

According to Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division (PASSD), the creation of this fund in Ramazan is an important step that invites public and civil society to contribute towards building a welfare state “where no one goes to bed hungry.”

For integrity and efficiency of donor management operations, Ehsaas is setting up a donation management system, PASSD said in a statement.Once fully operational, the system will assist funders in terms of transparency, fund utilization and traceability, it added.

Arrangements have been made to receive donations in favour of ‘Koi Bhooka na Soye’ through branches of all the commercial banks operating across the country, PASSD said, adding that contributions can also be made at field offices of State Bank of Pakistan Banking Services Cooperation in 15 cities across the country.

The SBP has directed the commercial banks to make available pre-printed deposit slips at their respective counters to facilitate the public in depositing the donations.

Overseas Pakistanis can also send their donations to ‘Koi Bhooka Na Soye Fund’ through any commercial bank in Pakistan and by also using Roshan Digital Account (RDA) services.

“We are setting up a robust fund governance mechanism at the Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division in order to ensure that all decisions related to fund utilisation and deployment are strictly rule-based and transparent,” PASSD statement said.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021