Ehsaas Programme ( ) is a

social safety The social safety net (SSN) consists of non-contributory assistance existing to improve lives of vulnerable families and individuals experiencing poverty and destitution. Examples of SSNs are previously-contributory social pensions, in-kind and fo ...

and

poverty alleviation Poverty reduction, poverty relief, or poverty alleviation, is a set of measures, both economic and humanitarian, that are intended to permanently lift people out of poverty. Measures, like those promoted by Henry George in his economics clas ...

programme launched by

Government of Pakistan The Government of Pakistan ( ur, , translit=hakúmat-e pákistán) abbreviated as GoP, is a federal government established by the Constitution of Pakistan as a constituted governing authority of the four provinces, two autonomous territorie ...

in March 2019.

Prime Minister of Pakistan The prime minister of Pakistan ( ur, , romanized: Wazīr ē Aʿẓam , ) is the head of government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Executive authority is vested in the prime minister and his chosen cabinet, despite the president of Pak ...

Imran Khan Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi ( ur}; born 5 October 1952) is a Pakistani politician and former Cricket captain who served as the 22nd Prime Minister of Pakistan from August 2018 to until April 2022, when he was ousted through a no-confidenc ...

called it a key initiative towards a

welfare state A welfare state is a form of government in which the state (or a well-established network of social institutions) protects and promotes the economic and social well-being of its citizens, based upon the principles of equal opportunity, equitab ...

that PTI promised with people of Pakistan in their elections manifesto. It is aimed at uplifting the backward class, reducing inequality, investment on masses and lifting the lagging districts in the country. A separate ministry was established under Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division which is headed by Special Assistant to Prime Minister

Sania Nishtar Sania Nishtar ( ur, ) (Born: 16 February 1963); SI), is a Pakistani physician, cardiologist, senator, author and activist who remained Special Assistant on Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, with the stat ...

who previously was serving as chairperson of

Benazir Income Support Programme The Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) is a federal unconditional cash transfer poverty reduction program in Pakistan. Launched in July 2008, it was the largest single social safety net program in the country with nearly Rs. 90 billion ...

. As of 2021, Ehsaas Programme has two major pillars, one is Ehsaas Emergency Cash (introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic) and the other is Ehsaas Kafalat, the latter programme expanded its coverage from 7 million people to 10 million people in 2021. The "Ehsaas Emergency Cash" programme was Imran Khan's flagship welfare policy during the COVID-19 pandemic, it received praise from the World Bank which listed it amongst the top global social protection measures and said that it ranked highly in terms of actual coverage rates compared to planned coverage rates. During the pandemic, the welfare programme covered millions of lower-income Pakistani families with monthly stipends handed out to 13.2 million people.

Background

Imran Khan's

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI; ur, , ) is a political party in Pakistan. It was founded in 1996 by Pakistani cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan, who served as the country's prime minister from 2018 to 2022. The PTI is one of the thre ...

contested in 2018 Pakistani General Elections and promised in his party manifesto to launch different social safety programmes and will retain and improve the

Objective

Ehsaas programme is a flagship

social protection Social protection, as defined by the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development, is concerned with preventing, managing, and overcoming situations that adversely affect people's well-being. Social protection consists of policies and ...

lead towards a ‘

’ that is embodied in

Constitution of Pakistan The Constitution of Pakistan ( ur, ), also known as the 1973 Constitution, is the supreme law of Pakistan. Drafted by the government of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, with additional assistance from the country's opposition parties, it was approved b ...

. It is to create precision safety nets; promoting financial inclusion and access to digital services; supporting the economic empowerment of women; focusing on the central role of human capital formation for poverty eradication, economic growth and sustainable development; and overcoming financial barriers to accessing health and post-secondary education. Article 38(D) in chapter Principles of Policy of the Constitution of Pakistan is about the promotion of social and economic well-being of the people. The government through a

constitutional amendment A constitutional amendment is a modification of the constitution of a polity, organization or other type of entity. Amendments are often interwoven into the relevant sections of an existing constitution, directly altering the text. Conversely, t ...

vows to make food, clothing, housing, education and medical relief as

fundamental rights Fundamental rights are a group of rights that have been recognized by a high degree of protection from encroachment. These rights are specifically identified in a constitution, or have been found under due process of law. The United Nations' Susta ...

of the citizens and the duty of state.

Eligibility

The programme is for the extreme poor, orphans, widows, the homeless, the disabled, those who risk medical impoverishment, for the jobless, for poor farmers, for laborers, for the sick and undernourished; for students from low-income backgrounds and for poor women and elderly citizens. This plan is also about lifting lagging areas where poverty is higher.

Programme structure

Ehsaas was formally launched on 27 March 2019 by federal government. It included different social safety programs like Ehsaas Emergency Cash Program, Ehsaas Panaah Gah, Ehsaas Taleemi Wazif, Ehsaas Petrol Card, Ehsaas Ration Riyaat, Ehsaas Scholarships etc, that are aimed to uplift the social security of masses. Its poverty reduction strategy is articulated in four pillars and it currently embodies 134 policy actions. The key initiatives include ''Ehsaas Kafaalat'', ''Ehsaas Aamdan'', ''Ehsaas Emergency Cash'' during covid pandemic, ''Ehsaas Scholarships'', ''Ehsaas Cash Assistance'' for women etc.

was also made the part of Poverty Alleviation and Social Security Division.

Reception

Ehsaas programme has been viewed as a success by national and international experts. It was helpful in bringing a positive change and is seen as a global model for poverty reduction.

World Bank The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of low- and middle-income countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects. The World Bank is the collective name for the Inte ...

doubled its assistance for the programme seeing the progress and declared it role model for other countries. Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme during

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identified ...

in the country successfully protected the poor and daily wagers who were affected in lockdowns by providing cash disbursements. SAPM Dr.

has been accredited as the person behind the programme's success.

References