ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has increased the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) budget by 27% to Rs 593 billion, compared to the outgoing year’s allocation of Rs 450 billion.
During the fiscal year 2024-25, 10 million families will be provided quarterly assistance under the Benazir Kafalat Scheme.
In his budget speech, Finance Minister Mohammad Aurangzeb stated that the number of beneficiaries from the Benazir Kafalat Scheme will be increased from 9.3 million to 10 million.
The amount for families registered under the Benazir Kafalat Scheme will be further increased due to the inflation rate.
One million children will be registered in the Benazir Taleemi Wazaif, bringing the total number of beneficiaries to 10.4 million. Additionally, 0.5 million families will be added to the Benazir Nashonuma programme.
For the first time, the government will initiate an economic inclusion, poverty graduation, and skills development programme to help lift people out of poverty.
According to the Economic Survey 2023-24, the government has disbursed Rs328.96 billion out of the allocated Rs 450 billion for beneficiaries of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) during the outgoing financial year.
The BISP, which targets impoverished women and aligns with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), operates from its headquarters in Islamabad along with 16 zonal offices, 154 district offices, and 257 sub-divisional offices nationwide.
The survey documents indicate that Rs257.47 billion was disbursed to 9.4 million beneficiaries under the Kafalat Unconditional Cash Transfer Programme, while Rs55.97 billion was disbursed under the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme.
