Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) is Pakistan's largest social safety net. It provides unconditional cash transfers to vulnerable families and conditional cash transfers for children's education. BISP maintains a database of 27 million households and uses a poverty score to identify eligible beneficiaries. It has transitioned payment mechanisms to mobile banking, smart cards, and debit cards to disburse over 386 billion rupees. BISP also implements complementary programs for health insurance, life insurance, microfinance, and vocational training. Going forward, BISP aims to collaborate with other organizations to help beneficiaries graduate out of poverty through initiatives in health, education, skills training and insurance.

1. EVOLUTION, LESSONS &
FUTURE
Benazir IncomeBenazir Income
Support ProgrammeSupport Programme
(BISP)(BISP)
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2. SEQUENCESEQUENCE
• Who we are?Who we are?
• Where we are?Where we are?
• What we have learned?What we have learned?
• Where we want to reach?Where we want to reach?
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3. Who We Are ?Who We Are ?
BISP is a Social Safety Net. SSNs are programmes
that protect a person or household against either a
chronic incapacity to work, economic shocks or
catastrophic expenditure risks.
SSNs are non-contributory transfers with following objectives:SSNs are non-contributory transfers with following objectives:
 Redistribute income to the poorest and most vulnerable
 Enable households to make productive investments in
their future
 Help households to manage risks, at least counteracting
harmful coping strategies
 Allow governments to make choices that support
efficiency and growth 3

4. BISP - INTRODUCTIONBISP - INTRODUCTION
• BISP is a statutory body established under an Act
of Parliament – BISP Act 2010
• First largest, methodical & transparent social safety
net in Pakistan
• Nationwide presence: more than 2200 employees
and 450+ offices
• Maintains National Socio-Economic Registry:
latest, scientific, reliable and extensive database of
socio-economic status of 27 million households
(over 85% population)
• Technology based operations
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5. Where We Are?Where We Are?
Core InitiativesCore Initiatives
• Unconditional Cash TransfersUnconditional Cash Transfers
• Conditional Cash Transfers (Waseela-e-Conditional Cash Transfers (Waseela-e-
Taleem)Taleem)
Complementary Initiatives/programsComplementary Initiatives/programs
• Vocational & Technical Training (Waseela-e-Vocational & Technical Training (Waseela-e-
Rozgar)Rozgar)
• Micro-finance (Waseela-e-Haq)Micro-finance (Waseela-e-Haq)
• Health InsuranceHealth Insurance
• Life InsuranceLife Insurance
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(Waseela e Sehet)

6. NSER: IMPROVED TARGETINGNSER: IMPROVED TARGETING
Targeting Phase I:Targeting Phase I:
• Parliamentarian based targeting done in 2008-9Parliamentarian based targeting done in 2008-9
• 4.2 M forms received - 2.24 M accepted4.2 M forms received - 2.24 M accepted
• Rs 64 B disbursedRs 64 B disbursed
Targeting Phase II:Targeting Phase II:
• 2010-11: PMT based Poverty Survey2010-11: PMT based Poverty Survey
• Covered 155 M population, 27M HHsCovered 155 M population, 27M HHs
• Beneficiaries identified on 16.17 or below score, 7.7M familiesBeneficiaries identified on 16.17 or below score, 7.7M families
declared eligibledeclared eligible
• 5.28 M active Beneficiaries5.28 M active Beneficiaries
Targeting Phase III:Targeting Phase III:
• Nationwide survey being launched for NSER updateNationwide survey being launched for NSER update 6

7. TECHNOLOGY BASED PAYMENTS
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 Initially payments through Pakistan Post
Gradually shifted to technology based payment
mechanism
Mobile banking; Smart card; Debit Cards
Currently more than 93% of payments through
electronic instruments
Bio-metric based payment pilot in Larkana
Total unconditional cash grant disbursement of Rs.
386 Billion ($3.8 B)
CFY Disbursements expected to cross Rs.97 Billion
New & improved Banking Model being designed

8. WASEELA E TALEEM
(CCT for Primary Education)
Almost 70% of the BISP beneficiaries’ children (age 5-12)
do
not attend any school as per NSER data
Financial incentive of Rs. 250 per child per month for
sending and retaining children in primary schools
Initiative extended to 32 districts; 1.15 M children admitted
Payment to WT Beneficiaries: Rs 994 million
More than 45,000 BISP Beneficiary Committees formed
Enrollment Targets: 1.3 m by June 16 and 2 m by Dec 16 8

9. COMPLIMENTARY INITIATIVES
Health Insurance
 Health and Accident insurance cover of Rs. 25,000
 58,688 families enrolled in Faisalabad.
Life Insurance
 Bread earner’s life insurance of Rs,100,000 to 4.1 million families
 Claims: 21,441 Paid: 12,698
Micro-Finance
 Computerized draw of Rs.300,000 per beneficiary
 Rs. 2.6 billion disbursed to 16,119 beneficiaries
Technical & Vocational Training
 Free of cost vocational training to 57,817 beneficiary family members
at the cost of Rs.2.23 billion
 Plan underway to merge these pilots with other federal & provincial
initiatives
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10. GRADUATION THROUGH COLLOBORATION
• Data Sharing Protocols revised to implement open dataData Sharing Protocols revised to implement open data
policy to facilitate collaboration under CSR/ researchpolicy to facilitate collaboration under CSR/ research
• Over 160,000 BISP beneficiaries or their family members
already benefitting from PMIFL.
• MoU with Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund/ Akhuwat
• PM National Insurance Scheme for BISP families
• Immunization through National Immunization Support
Program
• Pharmaceutical and other Corporate Sector encouraged to do
their CSRs through BISP database
• Provincial TEVTAs encouraged to give preference to BISP
beneficiaries
• Philanthropists, societies encouraged to do projects for BISP
• Medi banks; E-clinics; E-education
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