ISLAMABAD: The federal government has spent Rs40 billion on the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) as it increased the allocation to Rs97 billion.
According to the sources in Finance Division, the government had allocated total Rs118 billion during the current fiscal year out of which Rs97 billion were allocated for the BISP and Rs21 billion for the Prime Minister Youth Programme (PMYP). They said that monthly disbursement to each beneficiary under the BISP had thus been increased from Rs1,000 to Rs1,500.
Highlighting the poverty-reduction aspect of the initiative, the sources mentioned Waseela-i-Taleem Programme under which children of beneficiary families aged 5-12 are to be supported for primary education with cash transfer of Rs250 per child (up to a maximum of three children) subject to compliance with required school attendance.
The government allocated Rs2 billion to Pakistan Baitul Mal (PBM) to undertake different programmes for the poor and the disadvantaged in the current year while the same amount was allocated to the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF).
Under the PM’s Youth Skills Development Scheme, 25,000 youths up to the age of 25 with minimum qualification of middle will be imparted six-month training in a number of trades across the country.
