512 Ehsaas desks operational: Sania

The government’s point-person on poverty alleviation and social protection, Sania Nishtar, on Saturday said that as many as 512 Ehsaas registration desks are operational across the country to enroll families missed in the survey.

“With the recent completion of Ehsaas national survey registry, 512 Ehsaas registration desks are operational at tehsil level all over the country,” SAPM on Poverty Alleviation Sania told reporters during a surprise visit to Ehsaas registration desks in Lahore.

“The purpose is that households whose survey has not been conducted for any reason can self-register themselves in the Ehsaas programme,” she added. Such desks will remain functional on a permanent basis in order to serve the deserving families in self-enrollment under Ehsaas and to keep the survey registry live, Sania said.

The PM’s aide reviewed operations of registration desks at the Government Boys School, Walton Road. She stood with applicant women in the queue, took a round of the facility and interacted with women and staff to enquire about the registration process and arrangements. She also instructed the officials concerned to facilitate the women in the registration process so that they do not have to wait for a long time.

She also spoke to women, who had come for registration, about various Ehsaas programmes and initiatives particularly Ehsaas Kafaalat, Ehsaas Education Stipends and Ehsaas Undergraduate Scholarships.

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A total of 11 registration desks of Ehsaas are currently functional in Lahore. Registration sites, include Ghoray Shah Government Comprehensive School; Boys School, A-Block Model Town; Boys High School Walton Cantt.; Government High School Lidhar village near Cantt; CTD School near Rangers Headquarters, Cantt; Islamia Boys School Saddar Cantt; Government High School Mohni Road, near Data Darbar.

In addition to this, four Ehsaas registration centres are also operating at tehsil offices of Ehsaas in Saddar, Model Town, Shalimar, and Cantonment.

Later, Sania presided over a high-level meeting in Lahore with the regional team of Ehsaas. She reviewed the progress of Ehsaas programmes and initiatives in Punjab. The huddle also discussed issues on the ground and their possible solutions to improve service delivery. Punjab DG Zafar Kamal was also present in the meeting.

During the visit, Sania also spoke with the staff about how to improve communication with the people in communities and a detailed work plan was discussed in this regard. Communication tools, for instance, Ehsaas digital information platform and Ehsaas 8171 tracking portal were also discussed in detail.