Cardholders said they could not begin their preparations for Eid because of the lack of funds.
Hundreds of women receiving assistance from the Benazir Income Support Programme have not received their stipends for this month in district Rahim Yar Khan.
The delay, the beneficiaries say, is holding up their Eid preparations. Benazir Card holders, say that they have tried to get cash from the ATM machines several times but the amount has not been transferred into their accounts. Cardholders said they could not begin their preparations for Eid because of the lack of funds. The Benazir Income Support Programme was started in 2008. The new government has decided to keep it in place. The programme provides 5.5 million low-income families with monthly cash assistance of Rs1,000, on a quarterly basis.
The Rs3000 assistance is distributed through ATM machines every three months. Officials say departmental issues have resulted in a delay in the transfer of funds. The beneficiaries say that so far nothing has been done to resolve the issue and asked the prime minister to intervene and expedite the payment.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 21st, 2013.
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