Rebuttal: BISP says current govt extended the programme

Says the Waseela-e-Rozgar scheme was suspended by the BISP board and not the government

Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) has rebutted an editorial published in The Express Tribune on May 12 titled, ‘Penalising the poorest’, and said the opinion piece has not ‘only distorted the facts but has also tried to mislead the general public’.

The BISP said focus of the editorial was on the lack of continuity of the programmes started by previous regime. However, it claimed, the fact is that the present government has not only continued the BISP but has also increased the monthly stipend, provided by it, from Rs1000 to Rs1,500.

“Moreover, the present government increased budget spending from the platform of the BISP from Rs43 billion in 2012-13 to Rs65 billion in 2013-14 and this figure is likely to cross Rs90 billion by June 30, 2015,” said a press release.

It claimed that the contention of editorial with regard to suspension of Waseela-e-Rozgar was contra-factual, adding that implementation of the initiative suffered due to weak design and implementation without properly formulated manuals and log frames, weak monitoring, rudimentary grievance redressal system, and lack of linkages with industry and labour market.

“Moreover, there have been frequent media reports regarding alleged mismanagement, corruption and lack of transparency in the implementation of the Initiative. On the basis of these shortcomings and in favour of upholding the principles of merit and transparency the initiative was suspended by the BISP board and not the government,” it said.

It is also a fact, the BISP claimed, that the pre-determined rates on which the service providers were hired were quite exorbitant whereas the sub-contracting of the training providers, done by the service providers, was on considerably low rates leading to corruption and loss of public money.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 14^th, 2015.