Momina Bilal
It is quite commendable that the federal government is not only committed to support the poor and the most vulnerable segments of the population but has also been taking appreciable measures in this regard. It has not only retained Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) without changing its nomenclature whatsoever but has been increasing allocations for it to ensure more and more poor families get some financial assistance. Social security safety expenditures have been substantially increased by more than 300 per cent through the four budgets of the present government. According to figures available in this respect, significant expansion has been effected in the allocation for the BISP and it has been enhanced to Rs 115 billion during current financial year against Rs 40 billion in fiscal 2013. This higher allocation has resulted in increasing the coverage from 3.7 million to 5.45 million families, according to the available figures. It is also good to note that along side increasing allocations for ensuring more families draw benefit from it, the annual stipend has also been enhanced from Rs 12 thousand to Rs 19336 during the ongoing tenure of the present government and so far more than Rs 299 billion have been disbursed to the poorest families as unconditional cash transfers.It is worth mentioning here that BISP success stories have been compiled and published in a book form and it was formally launched by President Mamnoon Hussain at a function in Islamabad few days back. Appreciating all this, it is suggested that the book BISP success stories besides English and Urdu languages, should also be got translated and published in all regional languages and freely distributed throughout the country so that more and more poor needy people can benefit from this social protection step of the federal government. Any good step taken for welfare and well-being of the people at large should duly be appreciated and supported irrespective of which government is doing that.
