The Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) is a flagship social safety initiative by the government of Pakistan that works towards eliminating poverty and bringing financial support for poor families. Below, we cover an in-depth account of how the BISP is conducted, including the eligibility conditions, and also details of all benefits for resolving questions frequently raised about the subject.
What is the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP)?
BISP is the federal program, which was formed in 2008, for the facilitation of poor families all across Pakistan. The Programme is named after the former Prime Minister of Pakistan. The major goals of BISP are as follows:
- Poverty Alleviation: Financially eradicating problems in the most abject families.
- Women Empowerment: Using them as the primary recipient so that the house does not fall apart.
- Social Inclusion: To the deprived section of the people of the nation.
Whom BISP covers?
BISP application is filtered through an overall socio-economic survey conducted for short listing the eligibility for the scheme. The main eligibility criteria for BISP are as under:
- Family Income: Below Poverty Line
- Gender Specific: The scheme is also a women focused one. Widows, Divorced / Separated Ladies, and female headed families are some of the constituent units.
- Registration Data through NSER: The eligibility of families is screened through their scores in NSER registration.
Civil servants, property holders, and people whose earnings are more than a certain amount are also disqualified.
How do I register myself with BISP? BISP registration is very easy. The whole process involves the following steps:
1. Registration Center: Go to the nearest office of BISP registration or NSER center in your region.
2. Submission of Documents:
- Valid CNIC, Computerized National Identity Card.
- Proof of residence.
- Information about dependents if any.
3. NSER Survey: Enumerator teams visit households or invite applicants to centers for data collection.
4. Verification:
- Your information is cross-checked through government databases and poverty assessment metrics.
- Once verified, beneficiaries are informed through SMS or official correspondence.
How does BISP determine eligibility?
BISP uses a structured mechanism to ensure resource distribution is equitable:
1. NSER:
The registry gathers information about household income, assets, and living conditions.
2. Poverty Scorecard:
The response generated from the survey is computed to generate an index of poverty, and the families are classified into three economic need-based groups.
3. Verification Process:
Applications are cross-checked through stages of verification under NADRA and local governments to avoid fraudulent applications.
Benefits through BISP
It includes a series of benefits, both financial and non-finical along with BISP, such as the ones mentioned below:
1. Unconditional Cash Transfers
Beneficiary households are paid stipends as well as reimbursed their financial needs periodically through either quarterly disbursements or directly through:
- Benazir Debit Cards
- Partner banks and in post offices
- Mobile Banking channels.
2. Waseela-e-Taleem program
It motivates children to enroll in schools. Moreover, it offers other benefits concerning finances to families so that their children join schools.
3. Emergency Relief Programs:
The program gives relief to the community on a once-in-a-lifetime basis in case of floods, earthquakes, or any other type of pandemics.
4. Women Empowerment:
Empowers women as they are able to administer and manage their domestic funds which increase their participation in matters of decision making.
How does the receiver respond to receiving cash?
It has made it easier for the receiver through BISP:
1. Benazir Debit Card (BDC): They issue the card to a receiver that is dispensed by all ATMs with bank branches too.
2. Mobile Banking and Digital Wallets: Direct to beneficiary mobile account crediting using service provider tie ups
3. Postal Services and Tie up Banks: Digital-less areas, credit the payments using post offices or banks assigned for each locality.
1. CNIC (Computerized National Identity Card):
Proof of ID an applicant needs to furnish before being registered
2. Address Proof:
Utility bills, rent deeds or any document that may carry evidence of your staying at an address.
3. Dependent Information:
CNICs or Birth certificates of any dependents accompanying him.
How to check eligibility?
To check whether you are eligible for BISP:
- SMS Service:
Call the toll free number of BISP on their website and give your CNIC number.
- Online Portal:
Log on through the BISP website with eligibility checker, type in your CNIC.
- Regional Offices:
You can also personally visit the nearest facilitation center of BISP.
How to deal with problems in receiving payment?
If your payment is delayed or wrong,
1. Helpline Contact:
Contact BISP official helpline for further assistance.
2. Visit Office:
Regional offices and facilitation centers are empowered to redress grievances.
3. E-Complaint Form:
You may also lodge your complaint on the official BISP website with the help of an online complaint registration system that is provided on the website.
What is the problem that the beneficiary has to face?
BISP makes disbursement easier but is not without such issues as well:
- Delayed Disbursement:
There are instances when disbursement happens due to a processing error or logistics.
- Fraud Cases:
Agents who are collecting bribes or trying to withdraw unauthorized sums.
- Accessibility Barriers:
Lacking digitized service in remote areas.
What fraud prevention mechanisms are implemented by BISP?
BISP has very robust controls so that transactions are not opaque:
- Biometric Verification:
Payment is released only after the beneficiary’s biometric fingerprint is verified to ensure that no one can withdraw any payment without the knowledge of the beneficiary.
- Complaint Mechanisms:
Complaint of fraud by the beneficiaries can be made over helplines and online portals.
- Public Awareness Campaigns:
The beneficiaries are often sensitized, and fraudulent practices are discouraged.
What happens in case of fraud?
Frauds are treated very seriously as mentioned below:
- Prosecution:
prosecuted under relevant enactments.
- Suspension of benefits:
The fraud beneficiary is barred from availing benefits thereafter.
- Monetary recovery:
Recovery of the amount diverted fraudulently.
Response to Emergencies:
BISP responds immediately in an emergency with the help of an effective emergency response program in place at the time of an emergency.
- Target Relief
Funds saved specifically for the disaster-prone area
- Coordination:
BISP communicates with NGOS and other nation’s agencies also so that the BISP could easily access such resources.
- Time-to-Time Release:
Emergency Cash distributed to the targeted families.
For Further Details:
1. Help Line:
Dial this official Helpline in case of any kind of query call or complaint.
2. Website:
Access the BISP portal, where fresh applications, complaints, and a tracking service can be completed online.
3. Regional Offices:
Access your local BISP center for face-to-face assistance in your local center.
Some Queries
What is BISP?
BISP, since its launch, has phenomenally accelerated the timeline to remove poverty from Pakistan:
- Empowerment of Women:
Over 90 percent of the beneficiaries are women, which places them firmly enough to manage their family home more effectively.
- Poverty Eradication:
It considerably reduced poverty through cash transfer to millions of families.
- Education
The Waseela-e-Taleem program has increased the enrollment ratio of low-income families in schools.
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