The Benazir Income Support Program has been playing a crucial role in aiding impoverished and deserving families by providing them with financial assistance for several years. However, over the past few years, the program has amplified its efforts and extended its support to a significant number of families. In this article, we will explore the performance of the Benazir Income Support Program between 2022 and 2023, as well as the number of individuals who have received monetary assistance.
[lwptoc]
Increase Budget:
The budget allocated to the Benazir Income Support Program has experienced a significant increase this year. In 2022, the program’s budget stood at Rs 235 billion. However, considering the impact of inflation, Shazia Murree, the Federal Minister for the Benazir Income Support Program, has made the decision to augment the program’s budget. As a result, the budget has been raised to Rs 400 billion, enabling a greater number of individuals in need to benefit from the program’s assistance.
Increase in families benefiting from Benazir sponsorship:
The Benazir Income Support Program has made an important decision to broaden its reach and include individuals who were previously not receiving support from the program. As a result, the program has decided to extend its assistance to 90 million families. In 2022, 70 million families were beneficiaries of this program, but now in 2023, the aid has been extended to an additional nine million families.
Increase in Benazir Kafalat Amdad:
During a recent meeting of the Benazir Income Support Program, Shazia Murree, recognizing the significant rise in inflation, made the decision to increase the monetary assistance provided by the program. In 2020, eligible individuals received a grant of Rs 7,000 every three months. However, the amount has now been raised to Rs 8,750 to better cater to the needs of the recipients.
Increase in enrollment of children in Benazir Education Wazif:
In addition to assisting impoverished individuals, the Benazir Income Support Program also extends its support to underprivileged children by providing educational scholarships to ensure their continued education. These scholarships are disbursed every three months. In 2022, approximately 2.6 million students were beneficiaries of these scholarships. However, the program aims to expand its reach and increase the number of students receiving scholarships to 7.1 million in 2023.
Expension of Benazir Nashonuma:
In order to promote healthy childbirth, the Benazir Income Support Program has implemented a development program specifically designed for women. Under this initiative, women are provided with free medication and financial assistance to support their overall well-being during pregnancy. The program has successfully included five million women, and it has established 487 centers across the country. These centers are strategically located within 149 districts, with an additional 15 pilot centers being set up.
Increase in unique scholarships for undergraduates:
The Benazir Income Support Program also extends scholarships to undergraduate students, and there has been an increase in the number of beneficiaries. In 2022, scholarships were granted to 82,000 students. However, in 2023, the program has expanded its reach further, providing scholarships to 92,000 students.
Flood Relief:
In times of natural disasters like the floods in Sindh, the Benazir Income Support Program extends its assistance to all the affected individuals, including those who have lost their homes and businesses. The program provides aid to these individuals by granting Rs 25,000 to each family. Under this initiative, approximately 2.8 million households receive this financial support through the Benazir Income Support Program.
Fuel Subsidy:
The Benazir Income Support Program has implemented a subsidy scheme for petrol aimed at assisting economically disadvantaged individuals. Under this program, each family received a subsidy of two thousand rupees. The program successfully provided aid to 8.6 million households, with a total distribution of Rs. 16.9 billion in subsidies.
Transition from Static to Dynamic Socio-Economic Registry:
Previously, the registration process for the Benazir Income Support Program was limited to the Static Registry. However, a significant improvement has been made with the establishment of Dynamic Registration Offices in each district. These offices now provide a convenient location for people to visit and complete their registration for the program. To ensure accessibility, over 600 registration centers have been set up throughout the country.
Inclusion of transgender in Benazir kafalat:
As part of this program, Khawaja Sara individuals will also be eligible to receive financial assistance. To avail themselves of this support, Khawaja Saras need to visit the office of the Benazir Income Support Program and provide their national identity card number for registration. Once registered, they will receive a monthly payment of Rs 2000.