ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel on Wednesday has expressed serious concern over the difficulties faced by the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) beneficiaries.

The meeting of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Finance presided over Syed Naveed Qamar was informed that the BISP payments are being made through banks and the beneficiaries at present can receive stipend from 32 points PMT.

The finance secretary informed the committee that the government has increased the BISP budget to Rs598 billion and there is no fiscal space for additional fund in the current fiscal year for BISP.

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He added that even the International Monetary Fund (IMF) supports increased allocation for BISP.

Minister of State for Finance Ali Pervez Malik said that the government has the full support of the IMF. The meeting was informed that there are 11.5 million people who are below 32 points PMT, a qualifying benchmark for BISP support and 9.3 million people are getting BISP support and 0.7 million more would be added in the current fiscal year. Still over one million are required to be provided support and inadequacy of the fund and survey was a major challenge.

The BISP secretary said that agents have been getting bribe from recipients for cash disbursement.

The BISP secretary said that more banks would be added in the system discussion in this regard are being held with the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).

The committee member and Opposition Leader Omar Ayub in the National Assembly walked out of the committee meeting as protest against the attitude of Bilal Azhar Kiani during the meeting.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024