ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet on Friday approved the emergency cash assistance to the labour whose livelihoods has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, ARY News.
According to a statement, the ECC meeting chaired by the Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh also approved the criteria and mechanism for disbursement of the cash.
The announcement was made earlier by the Prime Minister and required the formal approval of the ECC. On May 3, PM Imran had announced that the funds collected through PM’s COVID-19 Pandemic Relief Assistance Fund 2020 will be used to assist the labour whose livelihood have been affected due to the lockdown and its impact on the economy.
Read More: Govt to expand scope of ‘Ehsaas Emergency Cash Program’: PM Imran
In his announcement the prime minister had directed that the funds shall be disbursed through Ehsaas Emergency Cash program. He had also announced that for every rupee donated the government shall match four rupees in the fund.
The budget envelop of Rs 75 billion released to BISP out of the 200 billion earmarked in PM’s relief package for distribution among labour in the country will be used for this purpose.
The modalities of the disbursement are worked out by Finance Division, Poverty Alleviation Division and BISP. BISP Board has approved that in order to identify the beneficiaries for Ehsaas Labour (Category-iv) the eligibility criteria used for Category –III of Ehsaas Emergency Cash may be used, read the statement.
The applications will be received only through Ehsaas Labour portal for inclusion of beneficiaries in Category-iv. Cash disbursement of Rs 12000,( one time assistance) will be made to eligible applicants through existing payment mechanism of BISP.
Provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and Islamabad capital territory (ICT) will be allocated quota in Ehsaas Labour assistance in accordance with their population share.
 of the cabinet on Friday approved the emergency cash assistance to the labour whose livelihoods has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.){kind=link}