The federal government has agreed to include transgender people in the Benazir Kafalat Programme (BKP) of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).
Shazia Marri, the head of BISP, made the announcement that transgender people will now be eligible to receive benefits from the Benazir Kafalat Programme in a video statement released on Saturday.
Shazia Marri referred to the ratification of the transgender policy as a “landmark success” and stated that the transgender community is a part of society and that it is the duty of the government to provide for them.
In order to take advantage of the Benazir Kafalat Programme, the community was urged by the BISP Chairman to obtain a Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) from the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA).
She mentioned that after updating their CNICs, the community registers themselves at the Tehsil offices. “The candidate would receive Rs7,000 after successful registration,” she added.
The policy for including the transgender community as beneficiaries of the Benazir Kafalat Programme of BISP was earlier on December 1 authorized by the 56th Board of Directors meeting of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).
The board members encouraged NADRA to streamline the process for updating the CNIC for the transgender population during the meeting.
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Speaking at the event, Shaiza Marri asked the Board of Directors to mobilize this marginalized population and utilize their good offices and influence to ensure that the highest proportion of transgender people may gain financially benefit from this policy.
Additionally, the members approved structural changes for Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
The BISP board authorized a package of benefits for workers who pass away while on the job, including one-time grants of Rs 2 million for employees in grades one through eight, Rs 5 million for those in grades nine through sixteen, and Rs 7 million for those in grades seventeen and beyond.
The board also commended the remarkable effort made by groups like BISP, NADRA, and partner banks to provide financial assistance to flood victims in a short amount of time.
The board made the decision that the BISP will implement a new payment system that will allow recipients to receive funding directly through the bank of their choosing, ensuring a transparent cash disbursement mechanism.
