Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) helping to reduce poverty

Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) beneficiaries increased from 1.7 million to 5.4 million. As the one of the largest program of its kind in South Asia, BISP is helping to reduce severe poverty in the country. BISP has released its third party BISP Impact Evaluation Report yesterday. President Mamnoon Hussain released the report in the presence of chairperson of the BISP Marvi Memon. President urged the BISP officials to reach out to the poorest segments of the society to bring them in the net of BISP. He also directed the BISP to take initiatives to made poor people economically independent.

According to the report, the BISP helped to reduce poverty on the basis of Food Energy Intake basis by seven points. But its impact is weak on the basis of Cost of Basic Needs. The BISP helped the poorest segment of the society to retain some sort of living.

The Oxford Policy Management evalued the report. it lauded the BISP for adopting good mechanism to target the poor. It points out that 91% of beneficiaries are very poor, poor or vulnerable. BISP has helped to maintain a section of the poor masses a certain level of poverty. The report also revealed that BISP beneficiaries have the literacy rate of 9%, which itself speaks volumes. 

BISP pays 4,834 rupees quarterly to poor families. The present government has increased its budget from 40 billion to 115 billion rupees. The report also pointed out that this program has made impacts on the poor population even though the impact is not huge but it has made a little bit difference. BISP initiative to enroll poor children in the primary schools bring 1.3 million children to the schools. BISP also brought 5.4 million women voters in the electoral roles because it provides them CNICs. Majority of newly enrolled women wanted to cast their votes in the coming elections. More women goes to the market alone because of BISP initiatives.

BISP also helps to bring closer the poor women in the local communities through the formation of 55,000 women beneficiaries committees.