BISP announces stipend increase across various programs ahead of Ramadan

ISLAMABAD: The internationally acclaimed Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) has announced an increase in stipend amounts across its flagship programmes ahead of Ramadan, offering significant financial relief to 10 million beneficiary families across Pakistan.

Chairperson of BISP, Senator Rubina Khalid disclosed that the Benazir Kafalat quarterly stipend will be raised from Rs. 13,500 to Rs. 14,500, an increase of Rs. 1,000, with the enhanced payment to be disbursed during the month of Ramadan.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with APP on Tuesday, Senator Rubina Khalid described the announcement as a Ramadan gift to the programme’s beneficiaries and said the revision reflects BISP’s ongoing effort to align its support with ground realities. “We are not just acknowledging the inflation, we are responding to it,” she said, adding that the decision had been taken with the welfare of the most vulnerable segments of society firmly in view.

Beyond Kafalat, the BSIP Chairperson confirmed that an additional increase of Rs. 500 has been approved for the Benazir Education Stipends programme. The beneficiaries whose children maintain at least 70 percent school attendance will receive the enhanced conditional cash transfer, a measure aimed at reinforcing the link between financial support and educational continuity.

A similar increase of Rs. 500 has also been approved for the Benazir Nashonuma programme, which supports pregnant women and lactating mothers through nutritional supplements and financial assistance. “Give us a healthy mother, and a healthy generation will follow,” Senator Khalid said, underscoring the programme’s role in combating child stunting and improving maternal health outcomes.

The BISP Chairperson also highlighted a landmark milestone in Pakistan’s financial inclusion journey, the opening of one crore (10 million) bank accounts for women beneficiaries. Senator Khalid called it a historic breakthrough, noting that no comparable example exists globally where such a large number of women were brought into the formal banking system simultaneously.

“This is a moment worth celebrating,” she said. As part of a new digital payment mechanism, beneficiaries will be issued free SIM cards exclusively through BISP offices and designated camp sites, linked to digital wallets. Upon each disbursement, women will receive an SMS notification and will have the flexibility to withdraw only as much as they need at a time.

In a move aimed at enhancing dignity and convenience for beneficiaries, BISP has also introduced interoperability across its seven partner banks, a reform coordinated with the State Bank of Pakistan. Previously, each beneficiary was assigned to a single bank agent and had no alternative for cash withdrawal.

Under the new system, set to be fully operational from the upcoming quarterly disbursement, beneficiaries will be free to approach any agent from any of the partner banks, choosing whoever is closest or most trustworthy to them. “This is about dignity,” Senator Rubina Khalid said. “Our beneficiary now has the freedom of choice. If one agent is not treating her right, she can go to another.”

Senator Rubina Khalid also addressed broader questions about BISP’s vision, pushing back firmly against characterizations of the programme as a driver of dependency. “These are hardworking people who simply cannot balance income and expenses,” she said.

“Social protection programmes exist in the United States, the United Kingdom, and across the developed world. What we are providing is income support, a bridge, not a destination.” She emphasised that the long-term goal remains graduation, helping beneficiaries develop skills and generate their own income so that those currently outside the programme can be brought in as space allows.

On the skills development front, the Chairperson highlighted the Hunarmand programme, a vocational training initiative launched on the birth anniversary of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto. With around 1,500 trainees nearing graduation and 5,000 newly enrolled, BISP is working with partner institutions to equip beneficiaries with market-relevant skills for both local and international labour markets.

Concluding with a Ramzan message, Senator Khalid called on all Pakistanis to use the holy month as an opportunity to serve others. “Ramadan is not just about fasting from food. It is about purging negativity and doing good with others. Share your joys with the less privileged. Do not usurp anyone’s right. Let us make this Ramadan a month of ease and compassion for all,” she said.