Raise in BISP stipend

How does the government have enough to spare to increase the amount of stipends and how will they create space for it?

In line with PPP politics of “bringing justice to the common man”, party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has ordered an immediate increase of 25% in the amount of Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) stipends, besides promising accelerated relief to flood-affected farmers. But the real question is: while reeling with a severe economic crisis, does the government have enough to spare to increase the amount, and how will they create space for it?

On paper, this seems like a bad economic decision as the increase would not do much for individuals — an additional Rs750 would be given if applied to the bi-monthly stipend of Rs3,000 — due to the record-breaking inflation levels and might instead take a toll on an already burdened exchequer. Yes, immediate relief for the poor masses during tough economic times is necessary, but the government also needs to consider long-term grass-root development. The problem is that a hungry person who is fed today will again be hungry the next day, and the day after that. In order to avoid this, the government needs to either improve economic conditions — something that seems like a distant dream in the prevailing circumstances, or provide the poor segment of the population with essential skills and resources necessary to self-survive and self-sustain. This is the real dilemma that the Sindh government currently faces, of finding a balance between the two aspects.

A better and more meaningful approach would have been to analyse the current state of BISP, involve stakeholders to compare it with the current inflation levels, and come up with a number that is more sustainable on both sides. Or perhaps, the same funds could be used to incentivise able people to seek vocational skill training. That being said, the BISP programme has immense potential to affect and change the lives of thousands of families in Sindh if concerned officials continue to improve it and incorporate innovative ideas for self-sustainability.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 28^th, 2023.

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