The Ehsaas Kafaalat Program/Benazir Income Support (BISP) program is one of the major poverty reduction initiatives in Pakistan, offering cash transfer to uplift low-income households. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns and decline in economic activity, many people are now seeking to register for the program.
In this article, we will explain the Government of Pakistan’s Ehsaas Kafaalat program in detail including eligibility, registration process, and benefits.
What is the Ehsaas Kafaalat Program and What are the Benefits for Registered Beneficiaries?
Ehsaas Kaafalat Program is an initiative by the Government of Pakistan for social safety aiming to uplift the deprived communities and alleviate poverty through financial support in the form of monthly stipends.
Monthly Stipend of PKR 2000
The Government provides a sum of PKR 2000/- as a monthly stipend. The program was recently expanded from 7 million to 10 million identified and deserving individuals in 113 districts of Pakistan through bank accounts.
Priority Support for Registered Beneficiaries
Beneficiaries registered under the Kafaalat Program are often the first to receive assistance in the wake of a major crisis in the country. An example of this was the Ehsaas Emergency Cash Transfer and Ehsaas Rashan initiative introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, beneficiaries of Ehsaas Kafaalat are also eligible for other social safety initiatives, such as Ehsaas Interest Free Loans, Waseela-e-Taleem, Waseela-e-Rozgar, etc.
Economic Empowerment for Women
As the primary focus of the Ehsaas Kafaalat Program are women, it opens the door for women’s financial inclusion and an opportunity for them to interact formally with the country's economy under the ‘One Woman One Bank Account’ initiative. Under the Ehsaas Kafaalat Program:
- Women from low-income households are enabled to open bank accounts.
- Women are provided smartphones under the program to ensure their digital inclusion.
- As a primary component of the Ehsaas program, Kafaalat assists women in being financially independent and escaping poverty through social protection, employment opportunities by strengthening livelihoods of women, by incentivizing girls to pursue education, and improving accessibility, and quality of available health care. For this purpose, beneficiaries are provided access to various other initiatives under the Ehsaas Program.
How to Apply for BISP/Kafaalat Program and Who is Eligible?
There are different ways to join the BISP / Kafaalat Program. You can be a part of the program via the following methods:
How are Beneficiaries Identified?
The beneficiaries are identified through household surveys and Ehsaas National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) Desk Registration Centers. The process is assisted by a web service and SMS as well. There is at least one registration desk in each of the 113 districts.
Eligibility for Ehsaas Kafaalat Program
Only low-income households are eligible for Ehsaas Kafaalat program. Government job holders, their spouses, people who own a car, and people who frequently travel to foreign countries do not qualify for this program.
How to Register for Ehsaas Kafaalat Program?
Currently, 113 districts across Pakistan have registration centers.
- To locate your nearest Ehsaas registration center, you can visit Ehsaas Program website.
- Select your district to know the Ehsaas registration survey to check if the program is available in your district.
- Information of registration centers’ names, addresses, Google Map locations, and contact numbers will be displayed to you.
- If your district is in the list, send your National Identity Card (CNIC) number via SMS to 8171 for booking your appointment at your nearest center.
Method of Payment for Beneficiaries
All eligible individuals will receive payment through Ehsaas Digital Payment System. This includes drawing money through Point of Sales (PoS) and dedicated Bank Alfalah and Habib Bank biometric-enabled ATMs.
Learn More About Kafaalat Program
You can see this document or visit the website for the Ehsaas Kafaalat Program, NSER survey,
or
Call at: 080026477
or
Send an email to contactus@pass.gov.pk.
You can also find your nearest BISP / Kafalat Program regional office from this link.
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For questions related to social security, initiatives for financial inclusion of low income households including women, you can send us a message on our Facebook page or via our website chat box. Our team answers questions Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 5:00pm.