K-P launches orphan, widow support cards

Orphans and widows to receive Rs10,000 monthly under new welfare programs

PESHAWAR:

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has taken another revolutionary step towards the welfare of underprivileged and deserving segments of society by launching two major financial assistance programs — Roshan Mustaqbil Card for orphaned children and Sahara Card for widows.

In this regard, a ceremony was held on Thursday at the Chief Minister's House Peshawar, where Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur formally inaugurated these programs.

The event was attended by Provincial Minister Syed Qasim Ali Shah, Secretary Social Welfare Department Syed Nazar Hussain Shah, and other relevant officials, as well as orphan children and widows.

Under the Roshan Mustaqbil Card, orphaned children up to the age of 16 years were initially set to receive a monthly stipend of Rs5,000. However, in a generous move, Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur announced doubling this amount.

Priority in this program will be given to children who have lost both parents. In its initial phase, approximately 9,000 orphaned children will benefit from this initiative.

Similarly, the Sahara Card was designed to provide financial assistance to widows aged 45 years and above, offering a monthly stipend of Rs5,000. However, the chief minister announced an increase in this amount as well, raising it to Rs10,000 per month.

Through this program, a total of 15,000 widows will receive financial support.

The funds under both programs will be disbursed by the 5th of each month through designated cards issued to the beneficiaries.

An IT-based scoring system will be employed to screen and select eligible applicants, ensuring transparency and fairness in the distribution process.

While addressing the ceremony, Chief Minister Gandapur emphasized that PTI leadership is committed to establishing a welfare state, where the well-being of vulnerable segments of society is a top priority. He stated that caring for the underprivileged is a fundamental duty of a welfare state and that his government is working tirelessly to fulfill this responsibility.

"Those who think about the well-being of others are truly great people," the chief minister remarked, highlighting that the welfare of marginalized communities remains one of his government's foremost priorities.

He revealed that as soon as his government took office, a comprehensive data collection initiative was launched to identify and register deserving individuals.

Based on this data, various welfare programs are now being introduced. "One of our first steps was to double the Zakat fund to ensure that maximum beneficiaries could receive assistance," he added.