ISLAMABAD: Faced with scathing criticism over its alleged failure to take adequate measures for addressing the economic woes of the common man against the backdrop of unbridled inflation, the federal government, Tuesday, said that it was increasing by 2,000 rupees the quarterly stipend offered to deserving beneficiaries under Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) from Rs7,000 to Rs9,000.
The announcement came a week after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, last Wednesday, announced a 25 per cent increase in the budget of the BISP.
In a meeting between BISP Chairperson Shazia Marri and Dr Luay Shabaneh, the Representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Pakistan, the former informed the latter that the BISP was currently providing quarterly instalments of Rs7,000 to deserving beneficiaries — Rs14,000 biannually and Rs28,000 annually.
The quarterly instalments would be increased to Rs9,000, she said. This indicates that biannual instalments would be increased to Rs18,000 and annual stipend to Rs36,000.
She said some nine million BISP beneficiaries were being provided financial assistance.
Last month, the federal government in Senate refused to allow an increase in the stipend offered to deserving beneficiaries under the BISP by opposing the Benazir Income Support (Amendment) Bill 2022 that led to the rejection of this private bill by the house.
Treasury Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri from Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) was the mover of the Benazir Income Support (Amendment) Bill, 2022.
On the final day of the Senate’s “mini-budget session,” on February 20, Samina Zehri sought from the house, leave to move the Benazir Income Support (Amendment) Bill 2022.
She said the bill aimed to amend Benazir Income Support Act 2010 to increase the financial stipend for BISP beneficiaries.
However, State Law Minister Shahadat Awan, who represents the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), opposed the bill citing a shortage of funds.
Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani held a voice vote on the bill which led to the rejection of the bill by majority vote.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023