RAWALPINDI: As many as 4,605 families in Rawalpindi district received Rs12,000 each in two days under Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme.

On Friday, 2,746 families received cash from 24 points in Rawalpindi district while the total beneficiaries are 18,654 which will get the cash within a few days.

Deputy Commissioner retired Capt Anwarul Haq told Dawn that 24 centres had been established in the district - 12 in Rawalpindi city, two in Gujar Khan, three in Murree, two in Kallar Syedan, one each in Kahuta, Taxila, Wah Cantonment, Kotli Sattian and Karor.

Meanwhile, according to Ehsaas Programme press release, the payment process under Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme has begun to support the deserving families affected by the lockdown.

The safety and security of the Ehsaas Emergency Cash beneficiaries arriving to collect cash assistance is the top priority of the government. With opening of as many as 17,000 digital payment points, the biometrically enabled payment operation has commenced countrywide including GB, AJK and Islamabad Capital Territory.

To ensure coronavirus protective measures during payment operations, special disbursement arrangements have been put in place in close coordination with provincial governments.

To monitor the payment operations, Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation Dr Sania Nishtar visited HBL Konnect outlets in Bari Imam area.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Nishtar said: “Ehsaas has initiated the cash stipend payments to provide instant relief to the daily wagers whose livelihoods have been badly affected. This assistance is meant to help them buy rations so that they don’t go hungry. We have advised partnering banks to ensure sanitisation at all touch points serving payments.”

74 points set up in Attock

Disbursement under Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme started in Attock district including Attock city, Hazro, Hassanabdal, Pindigheb and Jand on Friday.

As many as 74 disbursement centres have been established in the district for distribution of Rs12,000 each among 25,000 registered women.

Emergency cash programme district in-charge Tehmeena Gulzar told newsmen on Friday that 11 relief emergency cash centres had been established in Attock city, 15 in Jand, eight in Hassanabdal, 14 in Fatehjang, 11 in Pindigheb and 15 in Hazro.

She said in the first phase, money would be disbursed among those who had enrolled under Kafalat beneficiaries. Moreover, Adviser to Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam visited Ehsaas Emergency Cash centres in Hazro and monitored the process of disbursement of cash among the deserving women.

Speaking to media, he said Rs144 billion would be distributed among 12 million deserving families facing economic hardship in the wake of the lockdown.

Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2020