ISLAMABAD: A legislation is on the cards to change the name of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) - a social safety net programme.Sources within Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) told Business Recorder on Saturday that the government is seriously considering introducing a legislation in this regard with the objective of giving it a neutral name acceptable to all future governments to ensure its continuity for the benefit of the poor.“The programme was actually named after Benazir Bhutto when Pakistan People’s Party was in power; hence many in rural areas still believe it is something for which the credit directly goes to PPP no matter who is in power, so there is a need to give it a neutral name,” they added.They further said the incumbent finance minister Senator Ishaq Dar who belongs to PML-N is one of the pioneers of the programme, and is taking a special interest to further strengthen it but some party leaders have taken exception to the name from the day one. A senior PML-N leader who declined to be named said the programme would not face closure as we have also played an important role in establishing such a foolproof institution to reach out to the poor.He also indicated that the government is contemplating making BISP a non-political entity, saying as long as it is associated with Benazir Bhutto’s name, for whom, the government has great respect, it cannot be taken as a neutral institution.“You can name anything from airport to state institutions after the leadership of a particular political party…but we want to depoliticize it by giving it a neutral name,” he maintained. To a question about delay in making payments to poor families who have not been given the monthly stipends after the incumbent government took over, he said that all the issues, including the salaries of the employees will be settled soon.“We are in power today and there will be someone else tomorrow. Do you think they will accept any institution named after anybody from PML-N? No. So there is no need to be emotional and the PPP must show some patience,” he added.The BISP is a non-conditional cash transfer programme, which provides financial assistance to low-income families through bi-monthly cash payments.Copyright Business Recorder, 2013""
Posted on: Wed, 18 Sep 2013 04:26:07 +0000
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