Government has decided to expand the scope of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) to all districts of the country and the target is to be achieved by March 2018. Under the plan, not only coverage of programme would be expanded but budgetary allocations would also be enhanced during next three years.
The Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) is a federal unconditional cash transfer poverty reduction program in Pakistan. Launched in July 2008, it is the largest single social safety net program in the country with nearly Rs. 90 billion ($900 million) distributed to 5.4 million beneficiaries in 2016.
The Department for International Development of the United Kingdom is the largest foreign backer of the program, providing $244 million (or 27%) of the total funds in 2016 with the Pakistani Government providing the rest.
As of 2016, the program distributes Rs.19,338 (or approx. $195) per annum distributed per month. The stipend is linked to the Consumer Price Index and is paid through a smart card.
The Benazir Income Support Programme was established in 2008 by Yousaf Raza Gillani.
In the 2008–2009 fiscal years, more than 3 million Pakistani families received cash transfers through BISP; this figure accounts for 15% of the general population and 40% of the population below the poverty level. For the 2009–2010 fiscal year, the program was expanded to cover 5 million low-income families. At the program's start in 2008, the Pakistani government allocated RS 34 billion, or $425 million, for BISP; the allocation doubled to RS 70 billion, or $875 million in the following year.
The Benazir Income Support Programme is planning to launch a new initiative that encourages human capital development through a conditional cash transfer. The Waseela-e-Taleem initiative will condition cash payments on primary school enrolment for the children of eligible families. On June 18th 2017, BISP launched an e-commerce platform for its beneficiaries.
Before Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) in 2008, Pakistan’s main safety net programs were Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal (PBM) and Zakat, and that too had limited coverage and a limited target. BISP has been a good addition to social safety net programs despite the issues and challenges it has faced in its eight years of existence. Today, the country’s social safety net is largely driven by BISP – the country’s flagship national safety net system and also one of the largest in South Asia.