New survey to identify deserving households

Sania Nishtar says data for Ehsaas Programme will be collected through digital system

The Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Dr Sania Nishtar said the government would launch a new survey in the upcoming months for the precise identification of the deserving people under the Ehsaas Programme.

“Data of the deserving households will be collected through computerized digital system across the country,” said the premier’s aide on Sunday while talking to a news channel.          

She noted the directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan under which the survey would be completed in the shortest possible time with utmost transparency so that no deserving citizens are left out from the social safety  net.

The premier’s aide reiterated the objective of the programme, saying under the vision of the prime minister, it was the flagship poverty alleviation initiative to bring positive change in the lives of poor and deserving people. “The programme has laid the foundation of a global model for reducing poverty,” Nishtar said.

The SAPM further said the government would soon set up one-window operation centres in major cities to assist the beneficiaries of the Ehsaas Programme, besides reducing the chances of duplication.

“The initiative would create awareness, integrate delivery of services under the Ehsaas umbrella, ensure transparency and improve government-to-citizen service delivery,” she noted.    

In response to a question, Nishtar said the government planned to open the first Ehsaas Physical Centre in Islamabad within a year.

Talking about the security features of the system, she added the opening of the biometrics through ATMs (auto teller machines) and bank branches for the beneficiaries of Kifalat was also a major feature of the new Ehsaas digital payment system.

“The strict monitoring of the programme is stressed to ensure that the funds reach the deserving people,” said the premier’s aide, adding the Ehsaas initiative was crucial in the wake of emergency situation developed due to the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, which had crippled the livelihood resources of common people. 

Nishtar also mentioned beneficiaries of the programme under education sector, saying around 50,000 students were shortlisted from public sector universities across the country during the year 2019-20 who were awarded scholarships under the Ehsaas Undergraduate Scholarship Programme.    

“The objective of the scholarship programme is to ensure that no eligible student is deprived of higher education because of financial constraints,” she added.