ECC approves cash assistance for labourers, daily wagers

ISLAMABAD: The government has allocated Rs75 billion for distribution among labourers and daily wage earners through the BISP whose livelihoods have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the federal cabinet has approved the Emergency Cash Assistance to labourers. Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh chaired a meeting which made the approval.

On May 3, Prime Minister Imran Khan had announced that the funds collected through PM’s COVID-19 Pandemic Relief Assistance Fund 2020 will be used to assist the labour whose livelihood have been affected due to the lockdown and its impact on the economy.

The prime minister had directed that the funds shall be disbursed through Ehsaas Emergency Cash program. The Prime Minister had also announced that for every rupee donated the government shall match 4 rupees in the fund.

A budget of Rs75 billion released to BISP out of the 200 billion earmarked in PM’s relief package for distribution among labourers in the country will be used for this purpose.

The modalities of the disbursement are worked out by Finance Division, Poverty Alleviation Division and BISP. The BISP board has approved that in order to identify beneficiaries for the Ehsaas Labour (Category-IV) the eligibility criteria used for Category–III of Ehsaas Emergency Cash would be used. The verification process would be based on BISP’s survey record and national registration data of NADRA.

Cash disbursement of Rs12,000 (one-time assistance) will be made to eligible applicants through existing payment mechanism of BISP. All four provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan and Islamabad will be allocated quota in Ehsaas Labour assistance in accordance with their population share.