KARACHI, Aug 5: Banks on Tuesday finalised Benazir Income Support Programme at a meeting held at the State Bank of Pakistan.

“We discussed in detail and finalised the scheme,” said Aftab Manzoor, Chairman, Pakistan Banks’ Association.

The scheme has been finalised by banks, but details from the post office are still awaited.

Micro-finance banks have also been included in the scheme to extend services in rural areas where bank branches are smaller in number.

Aftab Manzoor said that of the Rs34 billion, most of the money would be distributed through banks.

According to the scheme, the amount would be raised to Rs50 billion and would be given to the poorest of the poor.

The programme envisages cash grant of Rs1,000 per month to each qualifying household for which selection would be made through Nadra’s computerised database, and Benazir Card would be issued.

Under the set criteria, computerised ID cards would be used along with thumb impressions, and disbursement would be made to the head of the household from the nearest bank or post office.

Meeting with Nadra is scheduled on Monday next in which logistic details are expected to be finalised.

Those who don’t have CNICs would be encouraged to apply for a card free of cost while Nadra would continuously update data of eligible households across the country.

The beneficiaries of Benazir Card would also be provided other facilities, like employment, skill development training for family youth, medical insurance and food subsidy.

The government wanted to launch the scheme from Aug 14 but details through post offices are yet to be completed.

Bankers said there was still a possibility to officially launch this scheme on Aug 14, but distribution may start later.

The poor would also be supported through the existing programme of Baitul Mal, and food items at subsidised rates would continue to be provided through Utility Stores and its network would be expanded to 6,000 stores.

Another senior banker said banks could only be useful for the distribution of funds in urban areas while the number of extreme poor is much more in rural areas.

However, he believes that with the help of post offices, the benefits of the scheme could reach the remotest areas of the country.

The scheme is the first of its kind in Pakistan while banks have no experience of dealing with massive number of people who are not their customers.

It would be a difficult task for banks as a huge amount would be disbursed among poor people and it may bring some bad name to banks, said the banker.