PM inaugurates 3 important Ehsaas initiatives in GB April 30, 2021: Prime Minister Imran Khan during his visit to Gilgit Baltistan inaugurated the three major Ehsaas programmes in Gilgit Baltistan (GB). PM announced the provincewide roll out of Ehsaas Nashonuma, Ehsaas secondary education stipends and Ehsaas One Woman One Account initiatives across GB. So far, 8 Ehsaas Nashonuma centers have been opened in 3 districts of GB including Diamer, Astore and Kharmang. In collaboration with the provincial government of GB, a detailed roadmap has been developed to open Ehsaas Nashonuma Centers in every district of GB. Prime Minister’s “One Woman One Bank Account Initiative”, Ehsaas Bachat Account (saving account) for Ehsaas Kafalaat beneficiaries was also formally launched in Hunza Nagar district and would be scaled up later nationwide. While in Gilgit, PM also announced the first of its kind Ehsaas’ secondary education conditional cash transfer (CCT) programme for secondary school going children of deserving households. Ehsaas has already approved and budgeted for the expansion of the conditional cash transfer from the primary level to the secondary education level. The new secondary education CCT has been structured along the lines of Ehsaas Stipend policy that allocates higher stipend amount for girls as compared to boys. Dr. Sania Nishtar briefed the PM on the ongoing Ehsaas programmes and initiatives across GB. Dr. Sania convenes meeting of ‘Ehsaas Vendor Support Group’ Apr 29, 2021 – Islamabad: At the Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division (PASSD), Dr. Sania Nishtar presided a meeting of Ehsaas Vendor Support Group, to review the progress of ‘Ehsaas Rehri Baan’ initiative. The multistakeholder initiative is centred on improving the ecosystem for street vending. Part of the initiative, Ehsaas Vendor Support Group has been established at PASSD for coordination of the ensuing interventions in street vending. The meeting was attended by senior officials and representatives from Capital Development Authority (CDA) Islamabad, Capital Territory Administration (ICTA), Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI), Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) and Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF). Muhammad Ali Shahzada, Secretary Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division was also in attendance. Sania assesses pilot operations of Ehsaas Tahafuz in Holy Family Hospital Rawalpindi April 28, 2021 – Rawalpindi: Dr. Sania Nishtar along with her team made a visit to Holy Family Hospital Rawalpindi to asses pilot operations of Ehsaas Tahafuz. She held a meeting with team of medical experts, hospital administrators and programme verifiers. The meeting reviewed overall programme progress and lessons learned from the pilot execution. Ehsaas Tahafuz is premised on protecting deserving patients from catastrophic health expenditures. Enhancements are being planned to expand the scale and scope of the programme later this year. Secretary Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division and Vice Chancellor Rawalpindi Medical University were also present in the meeting. Sania chairs Expert Committee meeting of Ehsaas Tahafuz April 28, 2021 – Islamabad: A meeting of Ehsaas Tahafuz Expert Committee was convened at Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division. Dr. Sania Nishtar chaired the meeting. The Expert Committee reviewed the current Tahafuz packages being offered and approved a number of newly proposed medical packages to expand the scale and scope of pilot operations. Tahafuz is Pakistan’s first shock-oriented precision safety net that covers heavy medical expenditures for the deserving. The programme is currently in pilot phase at Holy Family Hospital Rawalpindi. Secretary Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division was also present. PM opens ‘Ehsaas: Koye Bhooka Na Soye Fund’ for public donations April 28, 2021 – Islamabad: On the Prime Minister’s special instructions, ‘Ehsaas: Koye Bhooka Na Soye Fund’ has now been established to solicit public donations for expansion of ‘Ehsaas Koye Bhooka Na Soye’ programme nationwide. Public can deposit donations in cash or through crossed cheque in favour of, ‘Ehsaas: Koye Bhooka na Soye’ through branches of any of the commercial banks operating across the country. Contributions can also be made at field offices of State Bank of Pakistan Banking Services Cooperation in 15 cities across the country. Overseas Pakistanis can also send their donations to any commercial bank in Pakistan using the account details given on the banks’ websites. Overseas Pakistanis maintaining Roshan Digital Accounts (RDA) in Pakistan can also contribute to the fund through their RDAs. Talking to media, Dr. Sania Nishtar said, “We are setting up a robust fund governance mechanism at the Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division in order to ensure that all decisions related to fund utilisation and deployment are strictly rule based and transparent.” Dr. Sania and UNICEF explore options to expand Ehsaas collaborations April 26, 2021 – Islamabad: A meeting of SAPM Dr. Sania Nishtar was held with the UNICEF’s Social Policy team to discuss possibilities for more deeper engagement under Ehsaas. The meeting broadly explored options for expanding collaborations on social protection in the country, at a policy and operational level. From the UNICEF’s side, Luis Gorjon, Chief Social Policy along with senior representatives from Economic Policy Research Institute (EPRI), a research institute based in Cape Town, South Africa joined the meeting. Dr. Sania chairs the 47th BISP Board meeting April 26, 2021 – Islamabad: The 47th board meeting of BISP was held at the BISP headquarters, Islamabad with SAPM Dr. Sania Nishtar in chair. The board meeting was attended by Yusuf Khan Secretary BISP, Muhammad Ali Shahzada Secretary Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division, AFS Finance Division, and representatives of EAD and NADRA. Amongst private sector members, Zaffar A Khan, Syed Salim Raza, Qazi Azmat Isa, Khawar Mumtaz and Dr. Ahsfaque Hasan Khan attended the meeting. Members participated in the meeting both physically as well as virtually. PM distributes Ehsaas Kafaalat stipends among newly enrolled households in Murree Apr 23, 2021 – Islamabad: Prime Minister Imran Khan visited Murree to distribute Kafaalat stipends among newly enrolled households. All new beneficiaries were paid a sum of Rs. 12,000 covering the period Jan – Jun 2021. Ruqayya, Zaitoon Fatima, Shaheen Akhtar, Shafqat Bibi, Mehreen Bibi , Amina Bibi and other new beneficiaries received Kafaalat stipends and interacted with PM. They expressed gratitude that Ehsaas Kafaalat stipends of the government would assist them with their basic needs. SAPM Dr. Sania Nishtar was also present on the occasion. With the Ehsaas survey now 83% complete, payments to those who have been identified through the new survey have commenced throughout the country. Following the first six monthly payment of Rs. 12,000 the new women beneficiaries will get quarterly payments of Rs. 6000 on continuing basis. Sania attends Economic Advisory Committee meeting Apr 22, 2021 – Islamabad: SAPM on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation Dr. Sania Nishtar, was invited to join the meeting of Economic Advisory Committee (EAC) as an official member. The meeting was presided by Minister for Finance and Revenue Shaukat Tarin. This was the first session of EAC after its reconstitution. Federal Minister for Industries and Production Makhdum Khusro Bakhtyar, Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar Imam, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Division Omar Ayub Khan, Adviser to the PM on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, Advisor to the PM on Institutional Reforms and Austerity Dr. Ishrat Hussain, SAPM on Overseas Pakistanis & Human Resource Development Syed Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari, SAPM on Revenue Dr. Waqar Masood, Chairman FBR, Chairman BOI and Governor State Bank also participated in the meeting. The EAC meeting was also attended by the leading representatives from the private sector. It was agreed that EAC will follow a consultative process and suggest policy initiatives to optimise and further strengthen the financial and economic policies aimed at enhancing public welfare. Dr. Sania briefs new Finance Minister on Ehsaas targeted subsidy programme April 20, 2021 – Islamabad: A meeting was held between SAPM Dr. Sania Nishtar, Finance Minister Shaukat Tareen, SAPM Dr. Waqar Masood Khan and Secretary Finance to discuss the targeted commodity subsidy programme, coming under the umbrella of Ehsaas. Dr. Sania briefed the Finance Minister on programmatic, technical and financial contours of the forthcoming programme. The aim of the targeted subsidy programme is to give financial assistance to the deserving families enrolled in Ehsaas Kafaalat so that they could buy essential food items. SAPM Dr. Sania and SAPM Dr. Faisal discuss Ehsaas Catastrophic Health Expenditure Policy April 19, 2021 – Islamabad: SAPM Dr. Sania Nishtar and SAPM Dr. Faisal Sultan met in Islamabad to discuss the the ‘Ehsaas Catastrophic Health Expenditure Policy’. The policy is currently in the pipeline to dovetail Ehsaas Tahafuz programme with the Sehat Sahulat programme of the government. Once the policy is finalized, Ehsaas Tahafuz pilot will be upscaled with several public hospitals in the country to identify patients facing catastrophic health expenditures, who will then be assessed by the digital system, and if eligible, will be provided funding. Currently, Ehsaas Tahafuz is being piloted in Holy