PM inaugurates first ‘one-window’ Ehsaas centre in Islamabad

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday inaugurated the first “one-window Ehsaas centre” in Islamabad, according to Radio Pakistan.

On the occasion, the premier was briefed about the initiative, which is aimed at ensuring access to all the facilities and services of Ehsaas Programme under one roof. He was briefed that similar facilities will be established in every district of the country.

The initiative comprises six components with the establishment of one-window facility being the first. Other components include digital information and services platform, a mobile application, digital interface for back office, an integrated database and a target policy for beneficiaries.

"All Ehsaas services can be accessed at the centre," an official statement said.

Partner banks have opened their branches and a National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) office has also been set up at the centre, it added.

“Ehsaas stipends for children can be accessed at the centre also. The digital system, which has recently been put in place does real time verifications from three data sources- before a child is enrolled in the programme and if the child doesn't have a birth registration form-which is a prerequisite for enrolment-the mother can just walk the courtyard to get it made in the Nadra centre rather than taking taxi to go to another site," the statement added.

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Under the Ehsaas umbrella, there are many programmes for 14 different target groups.

"But often, poor families are not aware of the benefits they are entitled to and, if they are aware, they have to go to multiple offices to seek help. With One Window Ehsaas, the aim is to deliver services through a single window, a one-stop shop. One Window Ehsaas has six pillars: A One Stop Shop, the Ehsaas Centre; a public facing digital information and services platform; mobile app; back office consolidated digital interface; cognitive API (Application Programming Interface) architecture, or the integrated national socioeconomic database; and finally, the Ehsaas One-Window Beneficiary Selection and Targeting Policy," it said.

Ehsaas Registration Desks have been set up where people can get surveyed, to ascertain if they are eligible for Ehsaas benefits.