Islamabad, Waseela-e-Taleem initiative by Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) will be launched early next year, enrolling 10 million non-school going children.
An official of BISP said that children of the BISP beneficiary families, aged between 6 to 12 years will get free quality education under this initiative. Around one million children will be registered in the schools for free education in the first phase of the initiative. Three children from each beneficiary family can be enrolled in the schools for free education and the deserving families will be given cash grant on the condition of ensuring registration of their children in schools.
Around 99 percent of the first ever door to door survey has been completed and as a result more than six million recipient families have been included in the programme, however, the number will reach upto seven million beneficiaries after completion of survey in Fata. BISP has also planned to impart vocational and technical training to the female beneficiary or her nominee under Waseela-e- Rozgar and training are being conducted for master trainers in 50 trades in collaboration with China.
As many as 150, 000 recipients will be given technical training to produce skilled manpower for the country every year which will enable these families to become self-reliant. The vocational courses of one month, six months and one year duration have been announced both for men and women, however, each trainee will be given a stipend of Rs6000 every month, the official added.
Besides other benefits, the beneficiary families are entitled to receive Rs100, 000 in case of death of their bread earner, under the Life Insurance scheme. However, Waseela-e-Sehat will also be launched soon, providing health insurance to the beneficiary families.
About ensuring transparent transfer of cash grant to its recipients, BISP has also introduced Banzir Smart Card in some districts on pilot basis and cash grant of over Rs2 billion has been transferred by BISP through smart cards in district Multan.