BISP formally launched in Sialkot

BISP formally launched in Sialkot
* Government to mobilize all resources to eliminate poverty: FarzanaSIALKOT: Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) Chairperson Farzana Raja has said that the government is mobilizing all available resources for elimination of poverty in the country.Addressing a big public meeting at Anwar Club here on Sunday after formally launching BISP in Sialkot district, she said that due to the poor economic policies of the past regimes poverty had widened its clutches impacting on the life of the common man."In order to eliminate poverty and unemployment, the government has decided to provide technical training and easy small loans to the poor enabling them to start their independent business and earn their livelihood in a respectable way, she said.Farzana further said that the government would soon introduce free "health and life insurance" facility to redress the problems being confronted by the masses. She said BISP had been designed merely for the welfare of the poor segment of society adding that under the programme the hands of womenfolk would be strengthened.Farzana revealed that in the second phase of the BISP more than 7.5 million deserving families would be benefited across the country. The application forms of BISP have been provided to all political parties and the programme has simultaneously been launched in Balochistan, NWFP, Punjab, Northern areas and Azad Kashmir, she added.She said donor agencies like World Bank and Friends of Pakistan were fully backing the BISP. She said foolproof arrangements had been made to ensure transparency in the BISP adding that special attention was being given to hurdle- free distribution of the amount to deserving families on their doorstep. She made it clear that BISP was designed for women and under the programme womenfolk would be entitled to the grant.The government will fulfill its all promises including "Roti, Kapra aur Makan" on top priority basis and many steps have already been taken in this regard, she added.National Survey on Poverty launching on the cards: Later, addressing a press conference here, Farzana said that "National Survey on Poverty" would be launched next month to ascertain the exact ratio of poverty in the country.The upcoming survey is being conducted by the government for the first time in the history of the country to prepare the future line of action to curtail poverty in the country, she said.She pointed out that BISP had been initiated in Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and NWFP as well as in Azad Kashmir with an amount of Rs 34 billion to facilitate 35 lakh families and so far 5 lakh deserving families had received the amount countrywide.It is a healthy sign that BISP is being fully backed by all political parties and so far 15 lakh applications have been provided to MNAs and Senators for the distribution among the deserving persons while 8,000 applications have been provided to each MNA and Senator, she disclosed.Farzana disclosed that under BISP "Emergency Camps" had also been established in FATA for accommodating 45,000 shelterless families adding that such camps had also been set up in Balochistan.Speaking on the occasion Federal Minister for Population Welfare Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan said that the government was striving for elimination of unemployment and poverty adding that BISP would help reduce poverty. She said some anti-democratic forces were trying to destabilize the democratic government through their negative activities. She said people had rejected the anti-democratic elements and self-seekers in the elections and now they were trying to create chaos in the country.Earlier, the BISP chairperson and Federal Minister for Population Welfare jointly launched the programme. app