The Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) disbursed Rs 563.57 billion to its beneficiaries till January 15, 2018 since its inception in 2008. This was revealed in the Pakistan Economic Survey 2017-18 launched by the Special Advisor to the Prime Minister on Finance, Revenue and Economic Reforms on Thursday.
The number of BISP beneficiaries increased from 1.7 million in 2008-09 to approximately 5.63 million by December 2017 while the quarterly cash grant has been increased from Rs 3,000 per family to Rs 4,834 per family. The PML-N government increased the BISP budgetary allocations from Rs 70 billion in 2012-13 to Rs 75 billion in 2013-14, that was subsequently enhanced to Rs 97 billion in 2014-15, Rs 102 billion in 2015-16, Rs 115 billion in 2016-17 and for the current fiscal year allocation is Rs 121 billion.
Under Waseela-e-Taleem programme, the BISP aims to enrol approximately 2.0 million children in primary school by December 2018. This involves a cash transfer of Rs 250 per month per child paid quarterly (Rs 750 per child) for all children of each beneficiary family in the age bracket of 4-12 years in return for their compliance with the co-responsibilities of school admissions and a minimum of 70 percent quarterly attendance.
Field operations of the programme began in October 2012 and as of December 2017, 1.895 million children have been enrolled and a total of about Rs 5.81 billion has been disbursed as stipend under the Conditional Cash Transfer.
World Bank has extended a credit of $150 million for 'Pakistan Social Safety Net Project' for primary education of children of BISP beneficiaries. The BISP and World Bank signed a new programme on March 30, 2017 amounting to $100 million.
The Department for International Development (DFID) has also extended support to BISP through a grant allocation of GBP £300.3 million for primary education of children of BISP beneficiaries.
Asian Development Bank under Social Protection Development Project extended a soft loan of $395 million through Special Drawing Rights (SDR) arrangement. An amount of approximately $35-40 million has been earmarked by the ADB in the project to pilot the graduation models which have been approved by the BISP Board in its 29th meeting held on January 29, 2018.
An amount of $359 million (approx) has been disbursed from the total project allocations and this project is expected to end by June 30, 2018. Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) has disbursed an amount of approximately Rs 187.94 billion to its Partner Organizations in 130 districts across the country since its inception in April 2000 to December 2017. During the same period, 8.4 million microcredit loans were disbursed with 60 percent loans to women and 80 percent financing extended to rural areas.