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Sania lauds top performers in Ehsaas School Stipends enrollment drive

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Dec 30, 2021- Islamabad: Ehsaas hosted an appreciation award ceremony to honour the contributions of field teams and regional officials of Ehsaas engaged in Ehsaas School Stipends enrollment drive. Dr. Sania Nishtar chaired the ceremony. Secretary Ismat Tahira, DG Naveed Akbar, DG Khalid Siddique and DG Zafar Kamal also graced the occasion. During the period of Jul to Sep 2021, majority of field teams met all enrollment targets on time and made substantial progress on creating awareness and leading enrollment drive for Ehsaas School Stipends. The programme enrolled 907,486 children in all tehsils of the country which shows 99.3% achievement against the target of 913,590. To celebrate the achievement of this major milestone, a cohort of 30 high performing field officers were invited to Islamabad. Dr. Sania applauded the efforts of high achieving officials and encouraged them for their future milestones. The event was attended by the high performing officials from Gujranwala, Layyah, Dera Ghazi Khan, Sargodha, Multan, Lakki Marwat, Malakand, Abbottabad, Kohistan, Skardu, Gilgit, Muzaffarabad, Poonch, Hattian Bala, Mastung, Naseerabad, Karachi, Tando Allahyar and Islamabad. A plan was also discussed to expedite the enrolment drive in the first quarter of year 2022. Later, Dr. Sania gave away appreciation certificates to high performers.

Sania keynotes poverty alleviation consultation with members of GB Assembly

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Dec 29, 2021- Islamabad: Dr. Sania keynoted a high-level consultative workshop on “Youth Employability and Poverty Alleviation” for the members of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) Assembly. The two-day workshop was held by Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP). Dr. Sania appreciated the proactive approach of the government of GB towards Ehsaas. “In addition to monthly stipends, families eligible in Ehsaas Kafaalat are also benefitting from Ehsaas School Stipends across all Tehsils of GB. The program gives stipends from primary to the higher secondary levels. Ehsaas Nashonuma, Ehsaas Undergraduate Scholarship and Ehsaas Interest Free Loan programmes are also running in GB”, said Dr. Sania. A strategic plan was also discussed with members of GB Assembly to open Ehsaas Nashonuma and Ehsaas One Window Centers in all Tehsils of GB. Dr. Sania also encouraged members of GB Assembly to create awareness among the people of GB on a multitude of Ehsaas programmes particularly, the ongoing Ehsaas Rashan registration drive with Kiryana retailers and families. The inaugural session was graced by the Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan, Khalid Khurshid Khan. The speakers in the workshop emphasized on contextualizing the development plans so that they are more in sync with the issues of Gilgit-Baltistan.

PM unveils plan for purpose built new Panagahs

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Dec 22, 2021 – Islamabad: In a soft launch event, Prime Minister Imran Khan broke the ground for the new model Panagahs being built in Islamabad Capital Territory with improved standards and structure. On the special instructions of the Prime Minister, the four new Panagahs are being built in Tarlai, Tarnol, G-9 and Mandi More areas of Islamabad adjacent to the existing facilities. At the event, PM also unveiled the final plans of these multistoried Panagahs to be constructed. He lauded Ehsaas team, CDA, NCA and all concerned for their collaborative efforts and instructed to ensure the speedy execution of new model Panagahs. The Prime Minister underlined the importance of provision of quality food and service at the Panagahs. He also appreciated the collective efforts of the concerned departments and directed them to replicate the model in the provinces on the same line. Earlier, Senator Dr. Sania Nishtar, SAPM briefed the PM on the Panagahs’ new strategic plan including construction, furnishing, governance, execution, digital monitoring, capacity building and financing.

Sania briefs CS and district administrations of Punjab on Ehsaas Rashan Registration

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Dec 21, 2021 – Islamabad: Senator Dr. Sania Nishtar, SAPM chaired a briefing together with Chief Secretary Punjab, Kamran Ali Afzal on Ehsaas Rashan Registration. DG Social Welfare, Secretary Food, Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners of all districts of Punjab attended the meeting. The briefing discussed detailed plan with district administrations of Punjab to expedite the registration of Kiryana retailers and families under the ongoing Ehsaas Rashan Registration drive. Outlining details of Ehsaas Rashan programme, Dr. Sania urged the district administrations in Punjab to support the ongoing registration drive with Kiryana retailers and families. Chief Secretary Punjab and district administrations widely lauded Ehsaas Rashan programme and ensured full support for its registration drive. It was agreed that regular weekly meetings will be convened to track the registration drive across all districts of Punjab. Muhammad Ali Shahzada, Secretary Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division (PASSD), Captain (Rtd) Saeed Ahmed Nawaz, Additional Secretary of the Division, Hamayoun Sajjad, Chief Digital Officer, National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) and other senior officials of the bank also joined the briefing.

Executive Director WFP richly lauds Ehsaas Nashonuma

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December 16, 2021- Islamabad: Ehsaas and World Food Programme (WFP) inked a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to extend the Ehsaas Nashonuma programme currently from 15 districts to all Tehsils of Pakistan. David Beasley, Executive Director, World Food Programme and Senator Dr. Sania Nishtar SAPM jointly witnessed the MoU signing ceremony. Country Director WFP Pakistan, Chris Kaye and Secretary Ismat Tahira formally signed the MoU. Speaking on the occasion, David Beasley stated, “I highly commend Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision and commitment to address the issue of stunting in children across Pakistan. Other countries can also learn from it.” He also congratulated the PM on the success of the programme. Dr. Sania termed Ehsaas’ partnership with WFP as remarkable and thanked the WFP leadership and country team for their assistance in the programme design, roll out and national scale-up. Senior officials of Ehsaas and WFP Pakistan also joined the event.

President hails One Window Ehsaas Center in Islamabad

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Dec 15, 2021- Islamabad: President Dr. Arif Alvi visited the One Window Ehsaas Center in Sitara Market. Senator Dr. Sania Nishtar, SAPM briefed him on the One Stop Shop operations of Ehsaas which integrate all benefits and services for 14 different target groups in one space. At the Center, President took stock of the wide ranging One Window Ehsaas services and met with beneficiaries. “It is heartening to see that all Ehsaas services can be accessed at this facility in a well-coordinated manner, and this is the real demonstration of a welfare state”, said President. He highly commended the integration of all Ehsaas services under one roof and congratulated Ehsaas team for running a multitude of Ehsaas programmes with utmost integrity and transparency. Secretary Ismat Tahira, DG Khalid Siddique, DG Naveed Akbar, DG Meer Anwar and other senior officials of Ehsaas were also present on the occasion.

Ehsaas and NCSW join forces for welfare of women and girls

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Dec 10, 2021 – Islamabad: Commemorating sixteen days of activism campaign against gender-based violence, the event titled, ‘Humein Ehsaas Hai Khwateen Ka” was held under the umbrella of Ehsaas. Senator Dr. Sania Nishtar, SAPM was the chief guest on the occassion. The event was co-organzied by Ehsaas, National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) and Quaid -e-Azam University. Nilofer Bakhtiar, Chairperson, NCSW; Secretary Ismat Tahira; Secretary Arif Anwar Baloch, and Dr. Muhammad Ali, VC Quaid-e-Azam University also graced the occasion. Addressing the event, Dr. Sania said, “Education is essential for the socio-economic empowerment of girls and women. “Ehsaas is the only programme worldwide that offers a higher stipend amount for girls compared to boys under its CCT programmes; Ehsaas School Stipends and Ehsaas Nashonuma”, she highlighted further. Dr. Sania also applauded the collaboration between NCSW and Ehsaas. The event was widely attended by senior officials of Ehsaas, government officials, development partners, awardees of Ehsaas undergraduate scholarships, faculty and students of Quaid-e-Azam University, and women and girls from all walks of life.

Dr. Sania joins the meeting of Global Council on SDGs

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Dec 9, 2021: Senator Dr. Sania Nishtar, SAPM who is also the member of Gobal Council on SDG 1 was invited to join the meeting of the council. This was the first meeting of the council in its second term until 2023. The meeting included introductions of the council members and exchange of initial ideas on the goals of the council in the second term, its workplan, priorities and deliverables. The Global Councils on SDGs is an interdisciplinary network of decision makers from governments, international organizations, academia, and the private sector, share innovative practices and discuss the creative implementation of the SDGs at the national and global level. The Council aims to work on creating new partnerships between countries, organizations, and sustainable development advocates for the implementation of SDGs.

PM launches Ehsaas Rashan Registration drive in KP; Awards Ehsaas’ Scholarships, Ehsaas Kafaalat and Ehsaas School Stipends

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Dec 8, 2021 – Peshawar: Prime Minister Imran Khan visited Peshawar to launch the registration drive of Ehsaas Rashan Riayat. Addressing the ceremony, Prime Minister said, “Ehsaas Rashan Registration is currently underway, nationwide. We have launched Rs. 120 billion Ehsaas Rashan Riayat to protect the 20 million underprivileged families from the effects of COVID induced inflation that has impacted not just Pakistan but the entire world. Overall, the programme will cover more than half the country’s population.” At the Governor House KP, PM was joined by Mahmood Khan, Chief Minister KP; Shah Farman, Governor KP; Senator Dr. Sania Nishtar, SAPM; Fawad Chaudhry, Federal Minister for information and Broadcasting, Ministers and Members of Provincial Assembly KP. PM also gave away need cum merit based Ehsaas Undergraduate Scholarships to female students of University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar. It was followed by distribution of Kafaalat cheques among Ehsaas beneficiary women who had recently been enrolled through the Ehsaas survey. Later, PM also met with parents and children enrolled in Ehsaas School Stipends.

Sania convenes meeting on Ehsaas Rashan Registration with DCs of all districts in KP

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Dec 8, 2021 – Peshawar: Senator Dr. Sania Nishtar, SAPM chaired a meeting together with Chief Secretary KP, Dr. Shahbaz Khan Bangash at the Chief Secretary Office in Peshawar. Deputy Commissioners of all districts in KP joined the meeting. To facilitate the enrollment of families and Kiryana merchants under Ehsaas Rashan Registration drive, the meeting thoroughly discussed engagement plan for district administrations. Dr. Sania urged the DCs to create awareness about the Ehsaas Rashan registration among the poor and Kiryana merchants. Chief Secretary KP and all DCs assured full support and cooperation in the registration and execution of Ehsaas Rashan programme.

ADB approves $603 Million program to support Ehsaas Social Protection and Poverty Reduction Strategy

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Dec 8, 2021 – Manila: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $603 million results-based lending program to strengthen and expand social protection programs in Pakistan. Using conditional cash transfers, the program will support the implementation of Ehsaas, Pakistan’s national social protection and poverty reduction strategy. The program marks a significant shift in ADB’s strategic engagement in the social protection space in Pakistan in line with Ehsaas priorities,” said ADB Director General for Central and West Asia Yevgeniy Zhukov. The program supports the Ehsaas goal of expanding cash transfers to improve access to primary and secondary education up to grade 10 for children and adolescents of poor families, especially girls, and enhancing health services and nutrition for women, adolescent girls, and poor children. “ADB is a trusted and longstanding partner. This program is the result of years of engagement with ADB and other partners and focuses on areas where we believe the bank can have most impact. It is a key priority under the government’s Ehsaas strategy,” said Senator Dr. Sania Nishtar, SAPM.

British High Commissioner calls on Dr. Sania

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Dec 7, 2021 – Islamabad: British High Commissioner to Pakistan, H.E. Christian Turner called on Senator Dr. Sania Nishtar, SAPM at Ehsaas Offices. The meeting discussed prospective collaborations under Ehsaas. Additional Secretary Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division Captain (Retd) Saeed Ahmad Nawaz, DG Khalid Siddique, DG Noor Rehman, senior officials of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and others also joined the meeting.