Govt expels unmerited people from BISP database: Sania Nishtar

ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation Sania Nishtar said that the government has decided to expel 820,165 unmerited people from the database of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), ARY News reported on Thursday.

Sania Nishtar made the announcement while conducting a press conference during the inauguration ceremony of Ehsaas programme for undergraduate students at Higher Education Commission (HEC). The ceremony was also attended by President Dr Arif Alvi.

“The people who have been expelled from the BISP database over failing to meet the merit. The deserving people had been apportioned after a survey conducted 10 years ago which is seemingly enough to change condition. Unmerited people were being paid since 2011. The government took the decision for restricting government employees to get registered in the programme.”

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“The steps are being taken to provide financial aid to the needy people and a biometric mechanism with the collaboration of National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) is designed to reach out them. It is decided to expel 820,165 women from the programme.”

“Those having ownership of a car or paying telephone bills up to Rs1000 will be declared ineligible for the programme’s registration. A new ‘Kifalat’ programme will be introduced under BISP for poor women.”

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Dr Nishtar said, “We are shifting to a cent per cent digital system as the previous card system expired on December 15. Women could now use biometric ATM and the details of cash withdrawals will be available on our screens. We will encourage women for self-sufficiency, whereas, the stipend is linked with the inflation rate.”

While detailing the Ehsaas undergraduate programme, the special assistant announced the provision of educational scholarships to 50,000 students in a year. She termed it the biggest-ever programme for the educational scholarship of the country. She added that 134 initiatives are being taken under the Ehsaas programme.