BISP increases Rs1,000 cash assistance to beneficiaries from 1st Ramazan

ISLAMABAD:

The Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) on Wednesday raised cash support to its beneficiaries, increasing the quarterly amount under the Benazir Kafalat program by Rs1,000, bringing the new stipend to Rs14,500 from the first in Ramazan.

In addition, BISP announced an increase of Rs500 in scholarships for beneficiaries of the Benazir Educational Scholarships and the Benazir Nashonuma programme. These improvements are aimed at providing more financial relief to the program’s beneficiaries, especially as the holy month of Ramazan approaches.

The decision was revealed during a live e-Katcheri session held at the BISP headquarters in Islamabad, chaired by Chairperson Senator Rubina Khalid.

e-Katcheris are interactive sessions designed to address public concerns, understand the challenges faced by the beneficiaries and ensure timely resolution of any issues.

With the revised increase of Rs1,000, the quarterly stipend for eligible women under the Benazir Kafalat program was raised from Rs13,500 to Rs14,500. Meanwhile, scholarships under the Benazir Educational Scholarships for girls in the primary section were increased by Rs500, bringing the total amount to Rs3,000. For secondary level students, the scholarship was increased to Rs3,800.

Senator Rubina addressed the session participants and highlighted the importance of the financial support, especially during Ramazan.

“A significant enhancement of financial assistance is being provided under BISP in view of the upcoming holy month of Ramazan,” she said. “Ramazan is a month of blessings, patience and compassion and in keeping with this spirit, BISP is extending maximum possible relief to deserving families.”

She further emphasized the legitimate rights of the beneficiaries and urged women to ensure that they received the full amount due and not to accept unauthorized deductions. “The stage is your legal right and BISP will initiate strict action against any attempt at unfair deduction or malpractice,” she warned.

Senator Rubina also urged women to be confident in raising their voices against injustice. She reiterated that there would be no compromise on the rights of BISP beneficiaries.

In case of complaints, the beneficiaries were encouraged to contact the BISP helpline on 0800-26477 or visit the nearest BISP office.

During the live e-Katcheri, 31 callers from across Pakistan directly reached out to the BISP Chairman to voice their concerns. The session lasted for an hour and BISP Director Generals and relevant officials were present to ensure speedy resolution of the grievances. The most common issues raised by callers included issues related to re-survey, biometric verification, program enrollment and scholarship payouts.

Senator Rubina listened attentively to all complaints and issued clear directives to the authorities concerned, stressing that any negligence in handling public complaints would not be tolerated. She stressed that all issues must be resolved within the stipulated time frame and ensure that there are no delays or oversights in meeting the needs of the beneficiaries.