ISLAMABAD: Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Salman Faruqui said here on Wednesday that the government intends to target 7 million vulnerable people through Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP). Initially the government had allocated budget of Rs34 billion to provide assistance to 3.5 million people, however, the outreach would be enhanced up to 7 million people, he said while chairing a meeting with the World Bank team on social protection at the PC.

Among others, PC members, Akram Malik, Dr Rashid Amjad, Dr Pervez Butt, Gen Zubair and Dr Ashfaq were also present on the occasion. The team, led by Mansoor Rashid, Sector Manager WB Washington, has been visiting Pakistan to hold discussions with government officials and agencies for establishing sustainable and viable safety network for the poor.

Faruqui said the government would also introduce agriculture credit cards to facilitate farmers get credits for agriculture input and enhance agriculture production to help ensure food security in the country. He informed the WB delegation that the country needed to provide immediate relief to the vulnerable population and cannot afford to delay it more.

He said the government’s current poverty reduction strategy would continue, however, the government would keep on exploring better alternative and acceptable poverty reduction strategies. He also briefed the WB team about the reforms process taking place in the PC, saying that it would be made more effective by taking several measures.

He said the Planning Commission has decided to utilize services of experts and create a link between the commission and provincial institutions for the proper execution of development projects. A consultative workshop is also scheduled to be held on Friday with an aim to make the poverty reduction strategy programme more viable and sustainable with focus on addressing the vulnerable population.