Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) is an important component of Pakistan’s social safety net that offers monetary assistance to poor families and vulnerable members of society.
In the upcoming fiscal year, Rs 716 billion have been allocated for BISP under the national budget.
With the aim to enhance the effectiveness of BISP and combat rising inflation and socio-economic issues, there is a recommendation for increasing budgetary allocation for BISP up to 20% in the forthcoming financial year.
The increase will facilitate higher beneficiary coverage, enhanced stipend amounts, and higher transparency in the flow of funds.
Major points of proposal:
More cash disbursals:
- From January 2026, the programme will increase the monthly cash grant by Rs 1,000.
- Quarterly allowance to the beneficiaries will be increased from Rs 13,500 to Rs 14,500.
- Allowances will be updated every now and then as per inflation rates to keep pace with purchasing power.
Increase in beneficiary base:
- The Kafalat scheme will work towards increasing the beneficiary base to 10 million families (1 crore).
- 700,000 new households have already been registered under the ongoing financial year.
- The scale-up will intend to extend social protection coverage to vulnerable families.
Greater transparency of payments:
- The program will feature new banking partners to improve electronic payment security and transparency.
- Several platforms and account models will be utilized for payments to enhance access by the beneficiaries.
Complementary budgetary appropriations:
The amount of a proposed Rs 3,156 billion has been set aside for education and health sectors as a complement to the social welfare role of BISP.
