PHOTO: EXPRESS

Locked down: 40 million citizens apply for govt help

PM launched Rs144 billion programme to support 12 million families


Imran Adnan April 09, 2020
LAHORE: Nearly 40 million citizens have applied for financial assistance under the Ehsas Emergency Cash Programme (EECP) while a large number of poor families and daily wagers are still struggling to seek help to apply under the scheme across Pakistan.

Besides the federal government-funded Ehsas programme, over 15 million needy citizens have applied for financial aid under the Punjab Chief Minister’s Insaf Imdad Programme (CMIIP), which was simultaneously launched with the EECP on April 1.

Prime Minister Imran Khan had launched this Rs144 billion programme to support 12 million needy families affected by coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdowns, while Punjab government had initially announced Rs4,000 financial aid to 1.8 million families.

Later, the provincial government decided to expand the programme to 2.5 million poor families across Punjab and increased assistance amount to Rs12,000 as announced by the federal government. The Punjab government had allocated Rs10 billion for this programme.

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Punjab chief minister, the other day, announced that the government has disbursed financial assistance of Rs1.5 billion under the CMIIP among 170,000 poor families across Punjab. The chief minister had highlighted that the government has disbursed financial aid among needy following quick verification of their credentials.

However, an official involved in scrutinising applicants’ credentials revealed an unprecedented number of citizens have applied for financial assistance, so both the federal and provincial governments have tightened verification process. Initially, it was announced that citizens will not have to visit any government office for seeking financial aid but now millions of citizens have been instructed to contact the deputy commissioner’s office in their area amid lockdown.

An official disclosed that after verification of credentials, the DC’s office would prepare lists of eligible applicants and recommend the suitable mode of disbursements such as mobile fund transfer or cash payments.

He highlighted that applicants’ data was also being verified by matching it with multiple databases across the country including the NADRA, BISP, property ownership and vehicle registration etc.

Federal Minister and Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection Dr Sania Nishtar said the government would seek volunteers help to include the maximum number of daily wagers and poor who lack proficiency in submitting the application online for assistance.

To ascertain on the ground situation, she visited the commercial areas in Islamabad and interacted with labourers to get their feedback.

She said several labourers have complained they do not have balance for sending SMS to submit their application.

“Some labourers highlighted that they did not know how to send an SMS message as they only use mobile phones for making and receiving calls,” she disclosed and added that she would request the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to direct telecom operators to waive SMS charges and facilitate their poor consumers in dire need of help.

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She underlined that the government cannot help poor citizens unless they submit their CNIC numbers online, through SMS or web portal. She requested citizens through a Twitter message to send the CNIC number of needy and poor at 8171 and help them in this crucial situation.

A small workshop owner, Tahir Saeed, complained that the government had locked down his livelihood. “I was earning Rs1,000 to Rs1,500 daily when my shop was open two weeks ago. I have small children, rented house and shop. Political leaders are terming this an achievement that the government is helping poor and daily wagers. I want to ask government high-up to let us know how a poor family will manage grocery, rents and medicines in Rs12,000.

A carpenter, Farman Ali, said he failed to find any work for the past two weeks. “I was earning Rs1,200 daily but had been jobless after the lockdown. Even now we don’t have money to buy milk for our young son, who recently recovered from typhoid,” he said. Ali said the government should find out some immediate solution otherwise people would be bound to violate the government’s social distancing measures or die with their families due to hunger.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 9th, 2020.

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