Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) is Pakistan’s largest social safety net for poor families.
Learn about BISP registration, eligibility, Nashonuma Programme, cash transfers, and benefits for women and children.
Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP): Complete Guide to Registration, Eligibility, and Nashonuma Programme for women and children.
The Government of Pakistan launched the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) in July 2008 to serve as the premier national safety net institution with the primary objective of consumption smoothing and alleviating adverse effects of slow economic growth. The country at that time was experiencing rapid food price inflation, with prices of basic necessities reaching a 30-year high, and economic fallout from the global financial crisis.
The Programme targets cash transfers to vulnerable and deserving women and their families from the poorest households across the country irrespective of political affiliations, racial identity, geographic location, and religious beliefs. The long term objectives include meeting the targets of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on eradicating extreme and chronic poverty and empowering women.
The Programme was established through an Act of Parliament, and works under the executive patronage of the Prime Minister of Pakistan and chief patronage of the President of Pakistan.
The goals of the Programme are as follows:
1. Enhance financial capacity of poor people and their dependent family members;
2. Formulate and implement comprehensive policies and targeted programmes for the uplift of underprivileged and vulnerable people; and
3. Reduce poverty and promote equitable distribution of wealth especially for the low income groups.
BISP has the largest database of the poorest households in Pakistan which is the output of the first national door-to-door poverty survey. This data is used for the planning poverty alleviation and social protection development policies and programmes, and has been shared under protocols with various international and national organizations for research purposes.
BISP operates nationwide through a network of 385 tehsil offices, 33 divisional offices, six regional offices, and its headquarters in Islamabad.
Benazir Income Support Programme BISP Vision
Eradication of poverty and elevating the status of marginalized and under privileged sections of society, especially women, through establishment of comprehensive Social Protection Net.
ORGANIZATION
BISP operates nationwide through a network of 385 tehsil offices, 33 divisional offices, six regional offices, and its headquarters in Islamabad. This structure facilitates programme implementation at the national, provincial, divisional, and local level.
The regional offices in the provinces are headed by Director Generals, and regional offices of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan are headed by Regional Directors. All Director Generals and Regional Directors administratively report to the Secretary BISP who heads the management.
Benazir Income Support Programme BISP Registration Process
BISP Target population:
· Pregnant and Lactating Women (PLW)
· Children 6 – 23 months of age
Nashonuma Programme Eligibility Criteria:
Following would be the eligibility criteria for the inclusion of the beneficiaries in the
Nashonuma programme:
· Active BISP beneficiaries receiving unconditional cash transfer under Kafalat programme
· Resides in any district of Pakistan.
· It is mandatory that eligible individuals for registration under Nashonuma shall be in
any of these three categories i.e., Pregnant and Lactating Woman (PLW) or child 6
– 23 months of age in the family.
Nashonuma Programme Enrolment and Compliance Procedure:
All the eligible beneficiaries have to visit nearby Nashonuma Facilitation centre (FC) for the
purpose of enrolment in Nashonuma programme.
To further verify and confirm the status of beneficiaries in NSER database through search
CNIC numbers in Nashonuma Android Application.
Following are the verifications required at the time of registration/ enrolment of the
beneficiary in the programme:
· After eligibility verification, target population will visit the doctor for verification of
following status: –
·
Pregnant Women – pregnancy test results/ confirmation report & EPI card of
vaccination (TT Vaccination in 2nd trimester)
·
Lactating Mother – B-form of new-born/infant child and EPI card for
vaccination proof.
·
Children 6 -23 months – B–form and EPI card for vaccination proof.
·
In case of non-verification of pregnancy, lactating and children (0-23 months),
target population will be referred to registration counter for marking the status
of non-eligibility for the intervention.
Compliance Procedure:
To accelerate the uptake of nutritional and PHC services, the transfer of an agreed portion
of the cash transfer will be made conditional to the consumption of at least 90 percent of
provided specialized nutrition foods by PLW and/or children in the support households and
compliance to ANC, PNC, and routine immunization. As BISP transfers funds on quarterly
basis, the compliance monitoring and reporting will also be aligned with the transfer
schedule to avoid unwarranted delays in cash transfers. The amounts of SNF distributed are
defined below:
•
PLW – will be provided with SNF – Maamta (75 gram sachet – one per day)
•
Child 6- 23 months – will be provided with SNF – Wawamum (50 gram sachet
– one per day)
Cash Transfer:
The payment to beneficiaries will be processed immediately upon verification of compliance
of quarterly conditions set for PLW and children 6 – 23 months. This condition shall also apply on twins and triplet children too and PKR 2000/2500 shall be considered as
conditionality compliance amount for such cases.
A sum PKR 2,000 (to PLW and to a male child registered in Nashonuma Programme) and
PKR 2,500 to a girl child registered in the Nashonuma Programme over a quarter will be
withheld and linked with the consumption of SNF and utilization of essential PHC services
i.e. Immunization, ANC and PNC. This amount will be transferred to beneficiaries upon
ascertaining compliance by verifying.
click here to start registration now.
“Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) plays a vital role in reducing poverty, empowering women, and improving child nutrition across Pakistan.”