QUETTA: Minister of State and chairperson of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) Marvi Memon held a meeting with Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri here on Monday and discussed with him the expansion of the social safety initiative in the province.

She informed the chief minister that the BISP would be expanded to 25 additional tehsils in 16 districts of the province which would benefit 132,547 people. She said the BISP had also submitted a proposal for the expansion of its offices in Balochistan and recruitment on vacant posts to the provincial government for the review.

Ms Memon said the BISP had made commendable progress both in terms of expansion and the improved service delivery during the past four years of the PML-N government.

The meeting was attended by provincial ministers Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal, Sardar Mustafa Khan Tareen, Rehmat Saleh Baloch, Rahat Faiq Jamali, Dr Hamid Khan Achakzai, Nawab Ayaz Khan Jogezai, Sheikh Jaffar Mandokhel and Mir Mujeebur Rehman Muhammad Hasani, MPAs Nasarullah Khan Zerey, Prince Ahmed Ali Baloch and Syed Liaquat Ali Agha and Mayor of Quetta Municipal Corporation Kaleemullah Kakar.

During the meeting discrepancies in the 2010 survey were discussed and the need for a fresh survey in all districts of the province was stressed.

Mr Zehri acknowledged the services of BISP in Balochistan and assured its chairperson cooperation of the provincial government. He said establishment of new BISP offices in the province would play an important role in poverty alleviation. He appreciated that the BISP financial assistance was based on the poverty level instead of population.

The participants of the meeting expressed satisfaction over the new survey conducted in Qila Saifullah, Kech and Nasirabad districts.

Ms Memon said fresh survey in remaining districts of the province would begin in October.

Published in Dawn, September 19th, 2017