BISP to open bank accounts for women, NA panel told

The National Assembly Standing Committee on Poverty Alleviation and Social Security was apprised by the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) officials that they were launching a pilot project for distribution of payment through opening bank accounts for women beneficiaries in three districts.

"Our common woman is illiterate and poor. When she goes to collect money, there are agents standing there who ask for money from these women and bribes are taken from poor people," PPPP MNA Shagufta Jumani told the standing committee.

The meeting was held under the chairmanship of MNA Saira Bano.
Shagufta said that BISP was a good project and well-recognised. “The poor are not getting the money they should get, and there are many people who are missing out on the assistance,” she added.

“Those beneficiaries who were getting money earlier have now stopped getting it, and many flood-affected areas still have standing water,” she said. “They do not have a house and not even a single penny of the Benazir Income Support Programme has reached them,” she added.

The middle class had also been badly affected by the floods, she said, wondering what measures were being taken for the middle-class section not availing BISP assistance due to self-esteem.

BISP Secretary Yusuf Khan apprised the standing committee that 500 motorcycle riders were being hired at the Union Council level.

“Motorcycle riders will go door to door. This service is being started from Balochistan,” he added.

"We realise that for many women it is difficult to even get to the offices," he remarked. "Trucks will be deployed in Balochistan where all NADRA facilities will be available.

"We believe that there is a deduction and the women receiving the aid did not get the full amount as agents make deductions. Now, bank accounts are being opened for women under the new payment method," the official remarked.

The banks would start opening accounts in three districts in April, he said, adding that it was expected that most of the beneficiaries would open their accounts in the next five years.

He informed the committee that the Sindh government had started distributing Rs8.4 billion funds among the needy in the province.

Committee member Syed Abrar Ali Shah said that flood water was still standing in his house.

In the meeting, committee member Syed Mehmood Shah said that the news was circulating that the goods received as aid from Turkey were sent back to them.

Bano said that this happened here at weddings when the dress and other gifts were kept by poor families so that they could use them for the next wedding.
Syed Mehmood Shah said that a renowned anchor told this on TV.

Bano said that nowadays, only renowned anchor persons speak wrongly.
The NDMA member said that they conducted an inquiry into the matter.

“The accusation is false,” he said, adding that there was no incident of sending the aid back to Turkey.