Poverty alleviation and provision of subsistence allowance to the marginalised population is high on the agenda of governments. Microfinance schemes and monthly stipends to make ends meet are generally provided.
In South Asia, countries like Bangladesh, through their social safety network schemes and micro-financing, earned a good name by providing micro credit to its poorest, resulting in some shining results. Pakistan also stands out as an example of managing a scheme by providing subsistence allowance to millions through the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP). The programme was so named to eulogise the services of Benazir Bhutto Shaheed in 2008. It was indeed one of the most laudable achievements of the PPP government duly acknowledged by the World Bank and other international forums. The programme was so successful that even the PML-N government continued with it.
Introduced as a cash transfer scheme in July 2008, BISP was the largest single social safety net in the country with nearly Rs90 billion ($900 million), distributed to 5.4 million beneficiaries till 2016. Till date, no other programme could match it. The primary donor to the programme remained the Department of International Development, UK.
Initially the process of identification was done through parliamentarians, each getting 8,000 forms. But, the selected candidates underwent an eligibility test that was conducted by NADRA and a final list of eligible families was generated. This was sent to the postal service and funds were distributed directly to the postal service for onward delivery to the female head of eligible households.
The process for identifying eligible families was further made transparent and nonpartisan by ending the role of parliamentarians in April 2009. A poverty scorecard was set to ensure the eligibility of the most impoverished. Proxy test was used as a medium through the poverty scorecard for the identification of families which was duly authenticated by the World Bank. This required families to answer questions regarding assets and expenses in a survey.
Internal monitoring systems were developed to track deliveries and payment amounts to eligible families. Another mechanism to mitigate corruption and political favouritism was also in place that would allow a neutral third party access to the list of eligible families to verify eligibility for onward delivery to the female head of the eligible household.
In this context, let us give credit where it is due. The PPP government had enacted the Benazir Income Support Act 2010 to regulate its affairs and matters connected therewith or incidental thereto as such the whole scheme functioned under the law, giving structural shape to the principles of policy as enshrined in the Constitution of Pakistan to promote social and economic well-being of the people and provide basic needs of life. The Act also focused to bring a positive change in the lives of the poor and destitute by providing various opportunities to them such as education, special education, vocational training, skill development, workfare programmes, livelihood programmes, health insurance, accident insurance and access to microfinance for improving their financial status by establishing an autonomous social safety net authority to coordinate the design and implementation of the targeted programmes for the poor. Suffice to say that the Act covers all aspects of corporate governance including transparency and accountability.
In a contrast to this, the PTI government copied the programme and superimposed on it the name Ehsaas. This would be considered as plagiarism and intellectual incorrectness in the research area among academics. Propriety demands that the BISP should not have been overshadowed, renamed and camouflaged.
This impropriety is not only in political terms but also in legal terms as it has created embarrassment for the ruling PTI, when the government’s lawyer admitted before the Supreme Court (SC) that the BISP — a flagship project of the PPP government for poverty reduction — was renamed as Ehsaas.
The Attorney General for Pakistan had to tell the apex court that the data collected by BISP, “which had been renamed as Ehsaas”, was being used by the government to ensure that money reached the poor amid the coronavirus lockdowns. The court also raised the question of legitimacy of Ehsaas programme. Despite this, many among the government still audaciously propagate the progamme as their own.
Initiating a people friendly, particularly poor friendly programme, is always a welcome intervention which is appreciated by all sections of the population. Renaming an effective programme, copying all its details and negating the good job done by a previous regime is tantamount to defrauding and misleading. Instead, the PTI government could have easily started another project addressing the vulnerable population of society and supporting them through transparent financial mechanisms. This would have been welcomed by all but alas, what is being done by the PTI is no less than changing the takhtee (name plate) only.
Morality, grace and the Benazir Income Support Programme Act demands that the programme should be run under its original name, the “Benazir Income Support Programme”.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 26th, 2020.
Like Business on Facebook, follow @TribuneBiz on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.
COMMENTS (2)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
Skillfully written and the point well explained! BISP is undoubtedly flagship national safety net system, a critical turning point in the social protection landscape in Pakistan. Such huge and worthy ventures are prone to errors and misuse, and going by our checkered history of undue exploitation, ingrained tendency of political muddling and gaining political mileage, and habitual bureaucratic intrusions, it is imperative to regularly and objectively review the recipients lists, and the control and accountability mechanisms for transparency, ensuring exclusions and inclusions in an orderly, non-politicised manner. On PPP’s reaction to changing BISP name, one may turn to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet: “ What's in a name? that which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet”. Let’s face it. Principally, public institutions, financed from public money, world bank and other aids carrying a political leader’s name is tantamount to politicizing and in a way diminishes the overall objective and impact of the institution; a trust & waqf by donating one’s personal assets for the love of the needy being altogether a separate matter. In the fitness of things, and sanity, it is worthwhile to reconsider the myth of excessive ‘personalities worship, the overly hype & awe about personas, and rather help strengthen the national institutions. However, the government is well advised to proceed with such issues through prescribed process. Blessings!
Very good the govt: have to reconsider it snd required to restore it as it was being operated by previous govts: and it is absolutely correct that no changes come to replace the name plates. The Writer efforts appreciated.