PPP refuses to use Benazir scheme for flood victims

[Psycho]

PPP refuses to use Benazir scheme for flood victims
ISLAMABAD: The federal government has declined to immobilise the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) even for the ongoing year to let its whopping Rs 50 billion be exclusively used for the flood-hit people.
The funds earmarked for the BISP are being disbursed to the extremely poor people, who have no means to live. Stoppage of their stipends for any reason would be a great injustice and intolerable for them, a senior official told The News.
A BISP official said the organisation was focusing its attention on the flood-devastated areas without any discrimination since the catastrophe struck Pakistan. This was evident from the BISP activities, he said.
Not only the Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif but also some other circles have publicly urged the federal government to use the hefty BISP funds for the flood victims.
However, these quarters do concede that the BISP is actually meant for the poorest and resourceless segments of the society.
The official said that both President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani were clear that the BISP money would be utilised for the purpose it was allocated in the federal budget.
He said that the issue of shifting the BISP money to the Prime Ministers Relief Fund was discussed at the top level, but the idea was dropped on the ground that hundreds of thousands of people would suffer if this was done. It was decided that the BISP should be continued in its present form.
The official admitted that it was mainly the Punjab chief minister, who had been forcefully demanding that the BISP funds should be apportioned among the provinces so that they could cope up with the national disaster in a better way.
However, a Punjab official said that the federal government in no way wanted to involve the provincial administrations, especially the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), in using this huge money of over Rs 50 billion for the flood-affected areas. By directly spending these funds, the BISP is, in fact, eyeing political dividends, he believed.
But the BISP official said that the recommendations of all the senators, MNAs and MPAs were duly taken into account in selecting those getting the BISP assistance. He said that no favouritism or bias could be found in the exercise.
According to the BISP, more than 900,000 of BISP beneficiaries, who were already living below the poverty line, were adversely affected by the floods. The BISP is disbursing among them the first installment of more than Rs 3.65 billion at the rate of Rs 4,000 per family and the next two installments would be paid in the next two months. This implies that every such family would be delivered an amount of Rs12,000 in three installments.
Thus, the official said, more than 11 billion rupees would be distributed in just three months among the registered BISP beneficiaries. On the other hand, the provincial governments are giving a total of Rs 40 billion to the heads of the flood-devastated families all over Pakistan.
The Punjab official said that the distribution of money by the BISP without involving the provincial governments was unjust as the BISP could not target the flood victims and areas badly hit​

http://e.thenews.com.pk/9-11-2010/page9.asp#;

 

[alexendra85]

they will use it for politicall prupose,its quite clear,*******s party

 

[Night_Hawk]

Shame ...... To be used for political purposes.
May be the money will be transferred out of the country.

 

[alibhai]

It would be taking money from one poor person and giving to another poor person. So, I have to agree with the govt. position. The money for the flood victims needs to come from reducing govt expenses including military expenditures. It has to come from taxes, and from foreign aid and citizens donationations.

 

[rakeem]

How it would be spent can be seen in the name Benazir income support scheme.... for pro-peoples party elements all over PAkistan. The appointments and postings bypassing merit in SSGC and other govt. agencies that are gifted to them, when PPP comes into power. For peoples party's cronies this is the only place where they deliver, its scratchcracy[you scratch my back I scratch yours], although this has proved to be dangerous for PAkistan as it undermines,weakens institutions and finish the whole system.
This is what jiyaalas do crap work for, few mufta pennies, but hell-like food inflation will still take the mickey out of their free joyride, so hopefully they mite understand thru our current situation all over, that it is'nt rewarding them it's taking the whole PAkistan system including them toward a slow and painful death.

 

[alibhai]

How it would be spent can be seen in the name Benazir income support scheme.... for pro-peoples party elements all over PAkistan. The appointments and postings bypassing merit in SSGC and other govt. agencies that are gifted to them, when PPP comes into power. For peoples party's cronies this is the only place where they deliver, its scratchcracy[you scratch my back I scratch yours], although this has proved to be dangerous for PAkistan as it undermines,weakens institutions and finish the whole system.
This is what jiyaalas do crap work for, few mufta pennies, but hell-like food inflation will still take the mickey out of their free joyride, so hopefully they mite understand thru our current situation all over, that it is'nt rewarding them it's taking the whole PAkistan system including them toward a slow and painful death.

Even if we are to take your word on the way the BISP monies are being mis-spent. How would that change if that money is spent for flood affectees. They (PPP) can still find plenty of jayalas floating about in southern punjab and Sindh. What I am saying is why take from one poor person and feed another poor person. Remember the poor are poor regardless of political leanings. The govt. has to find ways to get this money from the rich or from tightening its own belt.

That inflation is going to hit the poor people already benefitting from that program twice as hard if you divert this money. I am no fan of the BISP and even less so of the ex. real estate agent now masquerading as the head of Asia's largest social security program. The First thing Farzana Raja sahib did was buy himself a jet to find these poor people. But, I also know that thousands of really poor and destitute people are getting aid from this program.

 

[aaleraza]

FUNDS FROM BENEZEER SCHEME ARE FOR JIYALAYS(I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT THE ORDINARY JAYALAYS, IT IS LIKE REHMAN MALIK, KAIRA SAHIB, NAVEED QAMAR etc.) AND FOR POLITACAL BRIBARY SO HOW THESE FUNDS CAN BE USE FOR FLOOD VICTIMS. THEY HAVE NO RIGHTS...