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Radio Program Raabta: Payments to families of dead beneficiaries and those with biometric issues to continue for a month after Aug 31; Dr. Nishtar

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August 28, 2020 – Islamabad: Speaking to applicants of Ehsaas Emergency Cash in a radio program Raabta, SAPM Dr. Sania Nishtar shared details about the appeal process for families of deceased beneficiaries. She informed listeners that in order to facilitate emergency cash beneficiaries with biometric issues and families of deceased beneficiaries, the Ehsaas disbursements will be continued for a month even after August 31, 2020. As part of appeal process, families of dead beneficiaries are required to send out an application for payment facilitation in the name of Dr. Sania Nishtar, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation along with death certificate and CNIC details of their dead family member along with those of eligible family member straight to Ehsaas offices at, F-Block, Pak Secretariat, Islamabad. Responding to questions of listeners on phone, she said that the scrutiny of received applications is in process as per the procedure and a formal reply to all applicants will be sent out soon. Listen here.

Governor SBP along with Deputy Governor calls on Dr. Nishtar

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August 27, 2020 – Islamabad: Governor State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Dr. Reza Baqir  along with Sima Kamil, Deputy Governor SBP called on Dr. Sania Nishtar at Ehsaas offices in Islamabad. This was a courtesy call to introduce newly appointed Deputy Governor SBP to Dr. Nishtar. The meeting also discussed long term goals built into the successful design of Ehsaas Emergency Cash programme to strengthen safety net and enhance financial inclusion in the country. The Governor and the Deputy Governor richly lauded Ehsaas Emergency Cash and assured full support and cooperation to Ehsaas.

Radio Program Raabta: Dr. Sania expresses resolve to fight against fraudulent deductions on the ground

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August 27, 2020 – Islamabad: Radio Pakistan held the fourth episode of the special interactive talk on ‘Ehsaas Emergency Cash in its program Raabta. Through this week, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation Dr. Sania Nishtar is the special guest in the national hook up program. In today’s Raabta, she interacted with listeners from far flung areas of the country and replied to their questions about Ehsaas Emergency Cash payments in the field. She began the program by announcing the analysis of emergency cash applicants’ data and requests received through the radio 4471 SMS feed. Responding to the complaint of Ehsaas Emergency Cash beneficiary against fraudsters, she assured that no one is allowed to fraudulently deduct any money from Ehsaas Emergency Cash disbursements to vulnerable families and all fraudsters will be dealt according to the law. Listen here.

SAPM Sania field tests mobile wallet opening to introduce cashless banking for Ehsaas beneficiaries

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August 27, 2020 – Islamabad: To field test the innovative proposition of opening mobile wallets for Ehsaas beneficiaries, SAPM Dr. Sania Nishtar together with Secretary Yousaf Khan and other Ehsaas officials visited Islamabad Model College for Girls, Tarlai. Implementation of this special purpose proposition is in its testing stages. The test demonstration took place with Ehsaas beneficiaries at the Ehsaas Emergency Cash campsite in collaboration with partnering banks of Ehsaas- HBL and Bank AlFalah. “Through this innovative cash withdrawal facility, beneficiaries of Ehsaas Kafaalat will be able to open mobile wallets that will serve as fully functional cashless banking accounts”, said Dr. Nishtar while briefing media. At the Ehsaas campsite, she met with the partnering banks’ agents and Ehsaas Emergency Cash beneficiaries present there to review the quality of ongoing disbursal arrangements. She also listened to their concerns and gave on spot instructions to Ehsaas officials to facilitate them for easy cash transfers.

SAPM Sania Nishtar oversees the ongoing renovation at Tarlai Panagah in Islamabad

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August 27, 2020 -Islamabad: SAPM Dr. Sania Nishtar together with Secretary Yousaf Khan and other senior Ehsaas officials paid a surprise visit to Tarlai Panagah located in suburbs of the federal capital. The visit aimed to oversee the upgradation work being carried out to overhaul the Panagah. During the visit, Dr. Nishtar took round of the shelter facility and reviewed the current renovation arrangements. Under the umbrella of Ehsaas, the repair and renovation of Panagah is being managed by Pakistan Bait ul Mal that is one of the key executing agencies of Ehsaas. The ongoing upgradation is nearing the completion and the facility will be re-opened for labourers and the deserving next week.

Radio Program Raabta: Dr. Sania guides eligible applicants to collect cash before August 31 from nearest campsites and bank branches

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August 26, 2020 – Islamabad: In the Radio Pakistan’s Ehsaas Emergency Cash special program ‘Raabta’ that is a daily national broadcast, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Sania stated that transfer of cash assistance of Rs.12,000 to deserving families under Ehsaas Emergency Cash program is closing on August 31, 2020. She guided beneficiaries facing issues in payments and demonstrated the process for registered applicants to check eligibility status on the live ‘Ehsaas Emergency Cash Know Your Status Portal’. All callers who had registered themselves through 8171 and connected with Dr. Nishtar in the live program through phone were apprised of their eligibility status on the spot, by entering Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) CNIC numbers on the portal. Elaborating the disbursement mechanism, Dr. Nishtar guided eligible applicants to collect the emergency cash from the nearest Ehsaas campsites and designated bank branches. Dr. Nishtar will be connecting with the national audience every morning this week through Raabta. Listen here.

Radio program Raabta: Dr. Sania announces re-opening of Ehsaas registration desks following closure of Ehsaas Emergency Cash

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August 25, 2020 -Islamabad: Connecting with listeners in radio program Raabta, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Sania Nishtar announced that those people who could not apply for Ehsaas Emergency Cash would be able to benefit from other Ehsaas programs as per the rule based procedures through Ehsaas self-registration drive. Continuing she said, “Although Ehsaas Emergency Cash is closing on August 31, 2020 but there are many other social protection and poverty alleviation programs running nationwide under Ehsaas including Kafaalat, Langars, undergraduate scholarships, Amdan, interest free loans and many others for the deserving.” She answered several queries of listeners regarding Ehsaas in an hour long live program. Listen here.

Dr. Sania holds a meeting to firm up Ehsaas individual financial assistance policy

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August 25, 2020 – Islamabad: The meeting of Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division (PASSD) was held to firm up the individual financial assistance policy under the umbrella of Ehsaas. Dr. Sania Nishtar, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation chaired the meeting. Secretary PASSD, Managing Director Pakistan Bait ul Mal (PBM) and other senior officials from Pakistan Bait ul Mal were also present. The meeting thoroughly reviewed the individual financial assistance system currently in place at the PBM and gave recommendations to make it more comprehensive and responsive. Under the Ehsaas framework, PBM is responsible for the execution of demand side social protection. The poor, widows, destitute women, orphans and disabled persons are supported through general assistance, education, medical treatment and rehabilitation.

Ehsaas and UNICEF join hands to commemorate World Breastfeeding Week 2020

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August 25, 2020: This World Breastfeeding Week, Ehsaas and UNICEF joined hands to raise awareness amid COVID-19 around supporting breastfeeding for a healthier planet. Informative material was jointly designed and disseminated countrywide to educate masses about the importance of breastfeeding. World Breastfeeding Week is a global campaign to raise awareness and galvanise action on themes related to breastfeeding. The week is celebrated every year from 1-7 August. Taking to twitter, Dr. Sania Nishtar connected with wider audience and emphasized, “ breastfeeding is vital to boost young children’s immunity against diseases.”

Sania keynotes PIDE webinar on ‘Financing the Social Protection’

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August 24, 2020 – Islamabad: Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) organized a webinar on ‘Financing the Social Protection: Possibilities & Practices’. SAPM Dr. Sania Nishtar was invited to join as chief guest and keynote speaker. The webinar aimed to explore options to assess financial plans to provide social assistance to all deserving, in the wake of coronavirus. In her keynote, Dr. Nishtar shared details about Ehsaas Emergency Cash that was rolled out by the government in response to COVID-19 pandemic. She stated that the Rs. 203 billion Ehsaas Emergency Cash programme has capitalized mainly on digital capabilities to impact lives of 16.9 million poverty-stricken families. The guest speakers included Benjamin A. Olken, an American Economist and Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Director Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab, Naureen Adnan from Centre of Excellence CPEC, Safdar Sohail from SPRC, Nasir Iqbal and Shujaat Farooq from PIDE. The event was moderated by Nadeem ul Haque, Vice Chancellor PIDE.

Dr. Sania Nishtar holds a radio program Raabta to guide Ehsaas Emergency Cash beneficiaries

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August 24, 2020 – Islamabad: Given the closure of Ehsaas Emergency Cash payments on August 31, 2020, Dr. Sania Nishtar, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation along with representatives from Ehsaas team held the Radio Pakistan’s live program, Raabta. She responded to questions of listeners who connected with her on telephone by calling directly at 051-9206995. Educating beneficiaries, Dr. Nishtar highlighted the supplementary measures being taken under Ehsaas to facilitate payments to families of the deceased beneficiaries and those facing biometric issues. She apprised listeners that in order to facilitate emergency cash beneficiaries with biometric issues and families of deceased beneficiaries, the Ehsaas disbursements will be continued for a month after August 31, 2020. Dr. Nishtar will be reaching out the wider national audience every morning this week through radio program. Listen here.

Ehsaas newsletter highlights 15-month remarkable journey of social protection in Pakistan

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August 21, 2020 – Islamabad: Celebrating its 15-month journey, Ehsaas has released a newsletter that looks back at several successful Ehsaas launches, institutional reforms and strategic partnerships under the whole-of-the government Ehsaas program. The Ehsaas Newsletter (March 2019 -August 2020) highlights 15-month journey of government’s efforts to scale up social protection in the country. Remarking the release of the newsletter, SAPM Dr. Sania Nishtar commented, “This newsletter is distinctive as it looks back at the ambitious journey of Ehsaas relationships and partnerships premised on tackling multidimensional poverty in Pakistan. The newly released edition of Ehsaas Newsletter also reflects the international recognitions earned by this widely praised programme.” The digital issue of Ehsaas Newsletter can be accessed Here.