Will Ehsaas emergency cash programme be enough?

The federal government under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan has taken an initiative – Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme – in order to help the deserving people amid coronavirus lockdown.

Pakistan is facing a tough situation in terms of coronavirus. So far, the deadly virus has claimed lives of almost 48 people and has affected more than 3,200 people across Pakistan.

In this regard, the provincial governments have imposed a partial lockdown in order to contain the outbreak of coronavirus. The governments have banned the unnecessary movement of the people through which may people are out of work.

Let’s take an in-depth review of the Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme.

Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme

The emergency cash programme was launched in context of the economic hardship being experienced by the vulnerable due to ongoing coronavirus lockdown situation.

The programme will reportedly help almost 12 million families by providing them financial assistance of Rs 12,000 per family and the total budget allocated for this initiative is Rs 144 billion.  

According to Special Assistance to Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation Dr. Sania Nishtar, if the demand increase additional resources may be embarked, however, employees of provincial and federal governments were not eligible.

She further informed that transfer of cash assistance will be ensured in a transparent and rule-based manner, adding that families would get cash assistance after biometric verification through over 18,065 scale points of Habib Bank Limited and Bank Al-Falah across Pakistan.

Earlier on Sunday, the Special Assistant also announced that the payment process for the programme will commence from Wednesday.

How to apply

According to Dr. Sania Nishtar, People can check whether they are eligible to apply for the programme by sending CNIC number on 8171.

In reply, they will be told how to collect the money if they fulfill the criteria set by the government to determine who can be classified as a deserving person.

Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme is becoming popular among the people. Dr. Sania Nishtar informed that the federal government has already received over 30.5 million messages for financial assistance.

Problems amid coronavirus

Almost the whole world is under lockdown. Coronavirus has badly affected the world economy including Pakistan. Airlines, trains and all forms of inter-provincial transport have come to a halt, while factories, mills, and other industries have stopped of reduced production.

The daily wagers are the worst affected people from the coronavirus. Almost 25 percent of the people of Pakistan lives under the poverty line. One has to keep in mind that Pakistan currently does not have the capacity to provide the entire nation.

The stock market has plummeted in recent weeks and the economy is on the brink of a recession, while there is no word whether the next trance of the IMF bailout package will be disbursed.

The medical system of Pakistan isn’t strong through which the country couldn’t bear a rise in number of coronavirus infections.

Is this enough?

While the programme by the federal government should be welcomed, these are deemed insufficient and unlikely to make any significant impact on people who have lost their livelihoods amid the coronavirus crisis

The relief fund set up by the government has an outlay of Rs144 billion which is insufficient for a population of 22 crore across the country.

Amid the ongoing coronavirus lockdown, the amount of Rs 12,000 seems insufficient, because a poor man have to buy ration, pay the daily expenses and have to pay the previous debts.

In this regard, the federal government has to take stern measures to contain the outbreak of coronavirus by using aggressive testing, and should remove the lockdown as soon as possible.