Govt to launch interest-free loan programme this month.

Byline: Fawad Yousafzai

Isamabad -- Prime Minister Imran Khan will inaugurate interest free loan programme for the unemployed people this month, said BISP Chairperson and Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation Dr Sania Nishtar.

She added that the 3rd pillar of the Ehsaas Program is the provision of employment for the poor people and the first scheme in this regard will be launched by the Prime Minister in June.

She was addressing a press conference here on Sunday. While elaborating various efforts launched by the present government for the social protection and welfare of poor people, overseas Pakistani labourers, labour force in informal sector and employment generation for the poor people, Dr Sania Nishtar said that preliminary work has been initiated on almost all the programs. She said that there were several challenges and corruption in the awarding of public sector contracts is the root cause of problems.

The government is trying its best to make the whole process transparent. The first thing the government will do is to make procurement and awarding contract transparently and new policies are being introduced to empower the government to give small contracts at railway, parks, airports etc. The policy is not only bring transparency but also the poor should get their share.

Similarly to ensure that recruitment in town committees, market committees and tehsil committees should be done on merit and not on political basis, she said. The government will also ensure that in case high rise building in Kacchi Abadi are erected the residents of those Kacchi Abadis should get their share. Despite financial crisis allocation of funding for the social protection which is the second pillar of the Ehsaas program will be doubled in next budget.

Dr Sania says corruption in awarding public sector contracts is the root cause of problems

The government has already started to start one window operation for the social protection.Work on one window operation for the social protection was initiated in April and it will be started on limited scale in August. The BISP system is being completely overhauled, she said.

'We have withdrawn all the discretionary power including deputation, procurement and contracts,' she said. Regarding the transfer of funds to the BISP beneficiary, she said that from 2nd January 2019 reforms have been started for the transfer of money to the beneficiary and by October it will be...