Ehsaas Programme

Ehsaas Programme
AbbreviationBISP (NSER)
FormationMarch 27, 2019; 5 years ago (2019-03-27)
FounderGovernment of Pakistan
Founded atIslamabad
TypeSocial safety net
HeadquartersIslamabad
Location
  • All over Pakistan Ehsaas Payment Center, Pakistan
MethodsDonations, scholarship
OwnerGovernment of Pakistan
Chairperson of BISP (NSER)
Vacant

Ehsaas Programme (Urdu: احساس پروگرام lit. 'Compassion') was a social safety net and poverty alleviation programme launched by the Government of Pakistan in 2019.[1] Imran Khan, the then Prime Minister of Pakistan, called it a key initiative towards a welfare state that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party had promised to the people of Pakistan in their election manifesto.[2] It is aimed at uplifting the backward class, reducing inequality, investing in the masses, and lifting-off the lagging districts in the country.[3]

A separate ministry was established under the Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division, which is headed by the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister serving as chairperson of the Benazir Income Support Programme.[4] As of 2021, the Ehsaas Programme has two major pillars: Ehsaas Emergency Cash (introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic), and Ehsaas Kafalat. the latter programme expanded its coverage from 7 million people to 10 million people in 2021.[5]

The Ehsaas Emergency Cash programme was Khan's flagship welfare policy during the COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan; it received praise from the World Bank, which listed it amongst the top global social protection measures and said that it ranked highly in terms of actual coverage rates compared to planned coverage rates.[6] During the COVID-19 pandemic, the welfare programme covered millions of lower-income Pakistani families with monthly stipends handed out to 13.2 million people.[7]

  1. ^ Dawn.com (27 March 2019). "'Ehsas': PM Khan launches ambitious social safety, poverty alleviation programme". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  2. ^ "Ehsaas programme a step towards the creation of a welfare state: Imran". Daily Times. 9 April 2019. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  3. ^ "EHSAAS PROGRAMME: PRIME MINISTER'S POLICY STATEMENT". www.pakistan.gov.pk. Archived from the original on 12 April 2019. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  4. ^ "Sania Nishtar appointed Special Assistant to PM". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  5. ^ "Beneficiaries under Ehsaas Kafalat programme increased to 10 MLN: Sania Nishtar". 14 February 2008.
  6. ^ "World Bank lists Ehsaas Cash Programme among top global social protection measures".
  7. ^ "Rs160.43 billion distributed under Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme | SAMAA". 27 July 2020.