BISP launches online grievance redressal system

In order to address inclusion and exclusion errors during nation-wide poverty census and to resolve the complaints of six million beneficiary families in most effective manner, the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) has launched a comprehensive online grievance redressal system.
Also, the BISP is gearing up efforts for spreading the innovative payment mechanism of Benazir Card for beneficiary families all over the country for transfer of grants electronically. These announcements were made by BISP Chairperson Farzana Raja in a press conference at BISP secretariat here on Sunday. Farzana Raja said the BISP, through its nation-wide poverty census, had acquired the data of 180 million people of Pakistan. The programme has included six million beneficiary families in its social safety net. In order to address some system errors, data entry issues or human errors, the BISP is putting in place grievance redressal system.
Through this system, complaints can be lodged at BISP tehsil/regional offices on its website www.bisp.gov.pk or through toll free number 0800-26477. She said the grievance redressal system would ensure accurate, fast and timely solution of the issues.
The BISP chairperson said that Benazir Card had already been distributed to approximately 272,000 beneficiaries across Pakistan and now these were to be provided to whole BISP families – six million beneficiaries. She thanked the banks for providing these electronic instruments to BISP free of cost which saved millions for national exchequer.
Raja said that Benazir Card was a part of branchless banking system introduced by the BISP for the first time in the history of Pakistan. Through this card, beneficiaries can withdraw their money from ATM machines or bank franchises present in every union council.
During Press Conference, Farzana Raja urged for the support of media, civil society and intelligentsia for this programme which is instrumental in improving the lives of millions of poor. Hollow criticism based on personal vendetta or misunderstand will not help the noble cause, she added.
She also highlighted the self accountability system employed by the BISP which was proving more useful to ensure transparency which in turn had given rise to the trust and confidence of donor agencies and the world as a whole. She also told that BISP was the first organisation to implement Harassment of Women at Work Place Bill.
Farzana Raja also announced that BISP was going to give an exemption in poverty scorecard from 16.17 up to 20 to include family with one disabled whereas the family with two or more disabled will be included with a poverty score up to 25. She also told that health insurance facility for the BISP families was being introduced from Faisalabad next month.
In reply to a question, Raja urged two million beneficiary families to obtain their ID Cards as this was the main cause that they were still not getting their monthly cash grants.
Replying to a question about the future of programme, Farzana Raja said that BISP was a national asset, a programme of hope and welfare for the people of Pakistan and no government would afford to close it. Also, the programme is an act of Parliament which enjoys legal status, she added.