Panel orders action against govt employees for BISP fraud

Officials concerned directed to submit compliance report within 30 days

ISLAMABAD:

The national assembly's standing committee on poverty alleviation and social security has ordered action against the government employees who fraudulently benefited from the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP).

The committee has sought data from the deputation employees working in the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Security as well as its subsidiaries.

Ordering action, the standing committee said the BISP was a good move by the government for the welfare of the poor. However, no undeserving person could be allowed to fraudulently benefit from the welfare programme.

The meeting was chaired by Saira Bano. The standing committee was told that some government employees had benefited financially from the BISP by pretending to be poor through fraud. The committee was informed that most of the employees in the programme are on deputation, but there is no set standard about their posting on a deputation basis.

The standing committee directed officials concerned that the data of deputation employees working in the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Security and its subsidiaries be provided. The committee was informed that a letter had been written to the FIA through the Establishment Division to take action against all the government employees who had received money from the BISP through fraud.

The standing committee was also informed that it is very difficult for women in need to avail funds from the BISP as they faced problems in opening a bank account. BISP officials told the standing committee that they were in touch with the State Bank of Pakistan and desired to introduce a simple account in the style of a Raast account so that women in need can easily receive money from the BISP. The standing committee directed the State Bank of Pakistan to direct all banks to open special accounts for needy women benefiting from the programme.

The standing committee also directed that a compliance report be submitted in this regard within 30 days.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 7^th, 2022.