The federal government-owned Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) has signed an agreement with the Sindh government to launch the “Waseela-e-Haq” Sindh programme in the province.
BISP Secretary Sher Khan and Sindh Finance Department Special Secretary Sohail Rajput signed the agreement on behalf of BISP and the provincial government, respectively. BISP Chairperson Farzana Raja, Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah and Sindh Finance Minister Murad Ali Shah were also present on the occasion.
Under the agreement, the BISP would provide technical assistance to the Sindh government in the shape of provision of complete data of deserving youth from province, designing the programme, training of beneficiaries and helping in its implementation.
The provincial government would provide the BISP beneficiaries an interest-free financial assistance worth Rs 300,000 each to initiate their own businesses. The scheme would be executed with the cooperation of Sindh Bank.
Addressing a press conference after the signing ceremony, Raja said that Sindh has taken lead in launching the project in coordination and cooperation with BISP. “The scheme is being initiated on the directions of President Asif Ali Zardari and aims to provide financial assistance to youth within the age bracket of 19 to 35 and having education up to matriculation or above so that they may be able to start their own business with the help of the financial assistance.”
The deserving beneficiaries would also be provided with training to run and execute a business before provision of this interest-free financial assistance,” she added.
Raja said that more than 6 million families are getting benefits from various endeavours of BISP currently and the total number includes up to 40 million individuals.
“Waseela-e-Haq Sindh is a welcome step, the eligibility for which has been ascertained on the basis of the data collected through BISP’s nationwide poverty survey,” she said.
The BISP chairperson said that 30 to 35 males and females from each union council of Sindh will be included in this programme thus 35,000 young people of the province will benefit from the programme.
“The BISP is a national asset, a comprehensive poverty alleviation programme and the philanthropists should come forward with generous support,” she said.
Speaking on the occasion, Shah termed the Waseela-e-Haq Sindh programme as a revolutionary step to curb unemployment and poverty in the province. “Around 250,000 families of Sindh have benefited from BISP up till now,” he added.
Finance Minister Shah said the Sindh government has allocated Rs 12 billion for the programme so that the youth of the province can be provided honourable livelihood opportunities.
He acknowledged the BISP as the most effective and transparent poverty alleviation programme in the country.