The Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) is a poverty reduction plan initiated by the Government of Pakistan in July 2008. The main objective of this program is to provide financial assistance to millions of deserving individuals and families who are facing difficulties due to unemployment and increasing inflation within the country.
The BISP Ehsaas Kafalat Program is a part of this initiative which provides monthly income as a financial support package to those families or individuals who are apparently poor and deserving.
To be eligible for this program, individuals must first register for it through the BISP registration check by CNIC, which is now fully operational. This program aims to provide financial assistance to those who are unable to meet their basic needs due to poverty.
The new Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mian Shahbaz Shareef, has recently restored the BISP 8171 check online for 2023 with all its benefits. The budget of the Benazir Income Support Program for the fiscal year 2023-24 has also been increased by 35%, indicating the government's commitment to addressing poverty in the country.
In addition to the financial assistance provided through the BISP program, the government has also initiated other measures to support the poor and deserving.
For example, the Utility Stores Corporation has provided a discount of 15 to 20 rupees on the prices of essential food items such as flour, sugar, ghee, pulses, and rice for its customers. This initiative aims to make these items more affordable for BISP beneficiaries.
Recently, the BISP Dynamic Registry 2023 was inaugurated by Bilawal Bhutto, which aims to register new families in Pakistan for BISP benefits. Additionally, BISP payments of 7000 Rupees for the month of March 2023 to the beneficiaries of Benazir Kafalat have already started, and they can withdraw their cash amount from Bank Al-Falah and Biometric ATM machines.
The BISP Kafalat program provides a quarterly installment of Rs. 7,000 to its beneficiaries, which is distributed through HBL Connect Shops and Bank ATMs.
The installment for January 2023 will start on 9th January 2023, and eligible women and families will receive their amount in that month. Additionally, on the World Eradication of Poverty day, deserving women receive an installment of Rs. 14,000 on a six-monthly basis.
Recently, the Federal Minister and Chairperson of BISP announced the inclusion of transgender Pakistanis as beneficiaries of the program. Transgender individuals can register as beneficiaries by visiting their nearest BISP registration center and starting the registration process from the NSER counter.
Upon successful registration, they will be eligible to receive Rs. 7,000 quarterly. The program also provides a discount of 15 to 20 rupees on essential food items for BISP beneficiaries.
Under the Benazir Emergency Cash Program, over 50 billion rupees have been distributed to 2 million flood-affected families at a rate of Rs. 25,000 per family. The Federal Minister has emphasized the need for transparent delivery of these funds and urged officials to avoid any corrupt practices.
The BISP Sahibweb program has replaced the Ehsaas Kafalat membership, and eligible families can receive their cash amounts from BISP.
In the Budget 2023-24, the amount allocated for the BISP Kafalat program has been increased from 250 trillion to 364 trillion rupees, and around 9 million families will be eligible for this program.
To register for the program, eligible individuals can use the BISP registration check by CNIC 2023 apply online service, and those registered will receive an SMS notifying them of their eligibility for the program.
BISP Benazir Kafalat amount increased
The BISP has announced an increase in the quarterly assistance provided to its Benazir Kafalat beneficiaries. As per a BISP spokesperson, the amount has been raised from Rs7,000 to Rs8,500. The disbursement of January-March installment has already begun, with nine million beneficiaries receiving over Rs83 billion allocated for this quarter.
The quarterly installment of the Benazir Education Stipend is also being released. BISP beneficiaries' children will receive stipends for maintaining over 70 percent attendance. Beneficiaries residing in Islamabad, Punjab, Sindh, and Balochistan can access their payments from designated centers or Habib Bank ATMs.
On the other hand, beneficiaries from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit Baltistan will receive their amounts from Bank Al Falah. It has been advised to the beneficiaries to verify their total amount and obtain a receipt.
Check your BISP Kafalat balance via CNIC online.
To check your BISP Kafalat balance via CNIC online, you can follow the steps below:
- Visit the official BISP website (https://bisp.gov.pk/).
- Click on the "Beneficiary Details" tab.
- Select "CNIC Information" from the drop-down menu.
- Enter your CNIC number in the given field.
- Click on "Submit" to proceed.
- Your BISP Kafalat balance will be displayed on the screen.
If you do not have access to the internet or a computer, you can also check your BISP Kafalat balance by calling the BISP Helpline at 0800-26477.
You will need to provide your CNIC number and other necessary information to the representative, and they will confirm your balance over the phone. You will also receive an SMS confirmation of your balance shortly after the call. If you have a BISP ATM card, you can also check your balance by using it at any ATM.
Check your BISP Kafalat balance via SMS
The BISP registration process has been simplified by the government, and you can now register for the BISP Kifalat program by sending your CNIC number to 8171. Follow the steps below to register:
- Send your CNIC number to 8171 via SMS.
- Wait for a short period of time.
- You will receive a reply SMS from 8171, informing you of your eligibility for the BISP Kifalat program.
- If you are considered eligible, you will receive BISP payments from NADRA or any Ehsaas Center.
It is important to note that eligibility for the BISP Kifalat program is determined based on a variety of factors, including income, family size, and other criteria. If you are found to be eligible, you will receive regular payments from the government to help support your family.
BISP Nashonuma programme
The BISP target population includes pregnant and lactating women (PLW) and children aged 6 to 23 months.
To be eligible for the Nashonuma programme, individuals must be active BISP beneficiaries receiving unconditional cash transfers under the Kafalat programme and must reside in any district of Pakistan. Additionally, eligible individuals must belong to one of three categories: PLW, or children aged 6 to 23 months in the family.
To enroll in the Nashonuma programme, eligible beneficiaries must visit a nearby Nashonuma Facilitation Centre (FC) and undergo several verifications. These verifications include confirmation of pregnancy for pregnant women, a B-form of the newborn/infant child, and EPI card for vaccination proof for lactating mothers and children aged 6 to 23 months.
In cases where pregnancy, lactation, or child status cannot be verified, the individual will be marked as non-eligible for the intervention.
To ensure compliance with the programme's nutritional and primary healthcare services, a portion of the cash transfer will be made conditional on the consumption of at least 90% of the provided specialized nutrition foods by PLW and/or children in the support households, as well as compliance with ANC, PNC, and routine immunization.
The compliance monitoring and reporting will align with the transfer schedule to avoid unwarranted delays in cash transfers.
The amount of specialized nutrition food distributed will depend on the target population. PLW will be provided with SNF - Maamta (75 gram sachet - one per day), while children aged 6 to 23 months will receive SNF - Wawamum (50 gram sachet - one per day).
Cash transfers will be processed upon verification of compliance with the quarterly conditions set for PLW and children aged 6 to 23 months. PKR 2,000 will be provided to PLW and male children registered in the Nashonuma programme, while PKR 2,500 will be provided to girl children registered in the programme per quarter.
This amount will be linked with the consumption of SNF and utilization of essential PHC services and will only be transferred upon verifying compliance with the programme's conditions.
BISP Taleemi Wazaif program
The Benazir Taleemi Wazaif program enrolls children of active BISP Kafalat beneficiaries who meet certain age criteria. For Primary Education, children must be between 4-12 years old; for Secondary Education, they must be between 8-18 years old; and for Higher Secondary Education, they must be between 13-22 years old.
To enroll a child in the program, the beneficiary must visit an enrolment camp or field office with the following documents: their CNIC, the child's B-form or CRC issued by NADRA, and a school admission slip that verifies the child's class and school information with the teacher.
Enrollment requires verification of the B-form or CRC through the NADRA database. A digital application is available for self-enrollment, and parents or teachers of children of active Kafalat beneficiaries can also use the app to enroll them in the Benazir Taleemi Wazaif program. The app can be downloaded from this link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=pk.gov.bisp.enrollment
