Re: In Pakistan, welfare scheme shows signs of success
Waiting to see when IK comes up with Taliban income support program. 
Re: In Pakistan, welfare scheme shows signs of success
only after the international donors cried foul, did the officials moved.
you guys are sooooo 90s…
http://www.transparency.org.pk/news/newsdetail.php?nid=2688
The Supreme Court has taken notice of the 100 bogus appointments in Benazir Income Support Programme and alleged victimization of the defiant officer who lodged a complaint in the Human Rights Cell of the apex court. The officer has been directed to furnish complete details of the issue…
Re: In Pakistan, welfare scheme shows signs of success
This is really a good news. Hopefully this program will turn into US income support/EBT card kind a system in coming years.
There are arguments against US food stamp program as well. Obviously coming from Republicans, and to me they do make some sense.
So calling such programs good or bad is a matter of point of view.
Re: In Pakistan, welfare scheme shows signs of success
I guess credit should be given where its due...oh wait people will come & condemn this too...for being successful & implemented by Zardari.
Doling out money is good for a family in dire needs but is not enough to bring that family out of economic mess and improve its future.
The best thing for the government to do is to create jobs for such families so that they won't need such government sponsored welfare programs. Such programs can not continue forever. Look at how much pain they are causing in the US, the world's economic giant.
If PPP government is sincere to improve lives of Pakistanis (and not just looking for votes) then it needs to implement sound economic policies and stop corruption of its officials.
What's the point of giving money to people when the government already has squeezed more money from them through its corruption and incompetence?
Re: In Pakistan, welfare scheme shows signs of success
It is running on international donors’ sponsorship. It will run as long as $$s keep coming in.
Re: In Pakistan, welfare scheme shows signs of success
I really don’t know in which pakistan these ppl live 
BISP biggest corruption hub, says ANP leader - thenews.com.pk
BISP official sacked on charges of corruption | DAWN.COM
Benazir Income Support programme Corruption – Geo News 20 Jan 2012
Re: In Pakistan, welfare scheme shows signs of success
Doling out money is good for a family in dire needs but is not enough to bring that family out of economic mess and improve its future. The best thing for the government to do is to create jobs for such families so that they won't need such government sponsored welfare programs. Such programs can not continue forever. Look at how much pain they are causing in the US, the world's economic giant.
If PPP government is sincere to improve lives of Pakistanis (and not just looking for votes) then it needs to implement sound economic policies and stop corruption of its officials.
What's the point of giving money to people when the government already has squeezed more money from them through its corruption and incompetence?
Again, unless someone can come up with better alternatives, lets not criticize the govt just for sake of criticism.
BTW, so for this program has helped more than 27 million people & lets not forget the fact that this money goes back into economy which does help create jobs.
On side note, I agree that there should be some stipulations, as stated in article, like recipients must send kids to school if they are getting govt assistance. I think that makes sense.
Re: In Pakistan, welfare scheme shows signs of success
Well said :k:
Some of these people are so brainwashed, they can’t even see when the govt does something good.
Re: In Pakistan, welfare scheme shows signs of success
^ perhaps its because there isnt really anything good that they are doing and if something does seem like good , it means its an election tactic and the minute elections will be over , they will be back to their non productive and full of corruption ways !!!
Time to open your eyes buddy ...
Re: In Pakistan, welfare scheme shows signs of success
^ perhaps its because there isnt really anything good that they are doing and if something does seem like good , it means its an election tactic and the minute elections will be over , they will be back to their non productive and full of corruption ways !!!
Time to open your eyes buddy ...
Elections tactic??
This welfare scheme started in 2008!
As I said, some people will never acknowledge the good things this govt does.
Re: In Pakistan, welfare scheme shows signs of success
So, what is the govt doing to stop running itself on IMF loans?
Re: In Pakistan, welfare scheme shows signs of success
I think anything spent on the poor is good, as the government doesnt seem to have the vision to create jobs.
Simple formula as to how I see this issue is:
$- Rs (spent on Pakistani people) = Swiss Accounts 
Re: In Pakistan, welfare scheme shows signs of success
Then create more ponds, that’s what I am saying. 
And that’s what others have said in this thread. If government used this program to set up a Factory City in the center of the country (the point where the four provinces meet, or maybe even some place cooler up north), set up government owned industries, take people there, set up jobs, generate revenue, pay them five figure salaries every month, and create schools and hospitals internally in that Factory City, only then would I give them credit. 100% credit.
This development would show their positive intent. Sure it may not help millions, but at least it’s a start, and even if it helps a hundred thousand, it has a potential to grow and envelop more people in the coming years. And it will change their lives completely with dignity, instead of making beggars out of them. And that’s not even talking about the corruption that’s linked to in this thread. I was pretty sure some hanky panky did happen. I recall reading about corruption in this program an year or so back.
I may appreciate it for what it is, face value only. Like I said, if it’s putting some extra coins in their pockets, okay. But as said above, these coins don’t stay and the government extracts these out of the poor people one way or another. No one has answered my notion of 100 or 1000 factories, then another 100 or 1000 in the next few years. A positive developmental cycle. Because let’s face it a billion dollars is a billion dollars. A lot of stuff can be done with it, a lot of lives can be changed through it.
Re: In Pakistan, welfare scheme shows signs of success
Handing out cash is an easy way to win votes, and a bad way to reinvigorate the economy. The BISP is full of corruption, and is being promoted by (mis)using Benazir's name, in order to keep the sympathy factor alive.
Assistance programs that hand out sewing machines, bicycles or other tools that can help a family generate income make more sense, compared to handing someone an ATM card on a monthly basis. This is a retarded program, which cannot be sustained. Plus, if Zardari wants to (mis)use Benazir's name, why not bring back some of the millions that both of them stashed away in Dubai and Switzerland, and pay the bloody electric companies so that economy can grow, rather than these half-baked ATM ideas?
And for those who claim that the govt should be applauded for doing the right thing, well, for one, it is not the right thing to do, and two, one right right after a million wrongs does not make them the best thing since sliced bread.
Re: In Pakistan, welfare scheme shows signs of success
Ageed, Silaaj. :k: Still, if this was the right thing to do, I’ll still applaud the government for it, regardless of their million wrongs. But nevertheless, I can’t bring myself to say that it is. Even if they have the right intentions, the BISP is still the wrong way to go about it.
Re: In Pakistan, welfare scheme shows signs of success
Elections tactic??
This welfare scheme started in 2008!
As I said, some people will never acknowledge the good things this govt does.
It works both ways my friend, government has done blunder after blunder in the last 4 years destroying everything that they possibly could but i am yet to see solid condemnation from PPP supporters and now you expect people to appreciate a scheme that is named after Benazir Bhutto and you want us to believe that there is no political motivation behind this??
Khuda ka naam lou yaar, just watching live programs in Gilgit-Baltistan, Larkana, Balochistan, Karachi, Faisalabad in the last couple of days and all i have seen is people literally crying in front of tv on various channels.
I have already acknowledged earlier that anything this government gives should be appreciated as they hardly give anything out but don't for a second think that this is being done with no political gains in mind just like South Punjab province
Re: In Pakistan, welfare scheme shows signs of success
It works both ways my friend, government has done blunder after blunder in the last 4 years destroying everything that they possibly could but i am yet to see solid condemnation from PPP supporters and now you expect people to appreciate a scheme that is named after Benazir Bhutto and you want us to believe that there is no political motivation behind this??
Khuda ka naam lou yaar, just watching live programs in Gilgit-Baltistan, Larkana, Balochistan, Karachi, Faisalabad in the last couple of days and all i have seen is people literally crying in front of tv on various channels.
I have already acknowledged earlier that anything this government gives should be appreciated as they hardly give anything out but don't for a second think that this is being done with no political gains in mind just like South Punjab province
Every govt does things for politcial gain, that is nothing new.
Re: In Pakistan, welfare scheme shows signs of success
Again, unless someone can come up with better alternatives, lets not criticize the govt just for sake of criticism.
BTW, so for this program has helped more than 27 million people & lets not forget the fact that this money goes back into economy which does help create jobs.
On side note, I agree that there should be some stipulations, as stated in article, like recipients must send kids to school if they are getting govt assistance. I think that makes sense.
Criticize? You seem not to have paid attention to the point I made that such things are good for short term. So I did not say that it is a bad thing.
Well, the criticism probably was about my calling it a "short term solution". But that is how I feel about any social welfare program no matter who does it. This thought arises from me being closer to fiscal conservatives in US lingo. This has nothing to do with PPP or PML etc. I have said the same thing about Shahbaz's sasti roti scheme, or yellow cab scheme, or distribution of laptops.
About this money going back in economy to create jobs: I don't understand this. So we just dole out money to people and this will create jobs? How come?
Sorry, doesn't make sense. Not even socialists claim this.
If PPP government, or any government, really wants to help poor then the best solution is to improve economy of the country by making it the priority. In reality we see that the country's economy has been going from bad to worst from the time of dictator we love to hate. Pak's growth rate used be consistently around 6 to 8%, which has been around 1 to 3% under PPP government.
This HURTS poor more than distribution of money HELPS them.
Re: In Pakistan, welfare scheme shows signs of success
About this money going back in economy to create jobs: I don't understand this. So we just dole out money to people and this will create jobs? How come? Sorry, doesn't make sense. Not even socialists claim this.
I think what Shamraz meant was that the amount paid through BISP goes back into the economy one way or other. :) The poor people buy stuff from the amount they get every month, from food to clothes and so on. This keeps the wheel of business flowing. An extreme example yes, but the $1.3 billion paid till now has found its way back into the market.
Sure, it does not take into account that this amount then finally went back into the bank accounts of the mafias - sugar, flour, oil mill owners. And some of it probably went back into government's coffers too in way of utility bills, etc.
Re: In Pakistan, welfare scheme shows signs of success
British aid is ‘helping fund re-election campaign of Bhutto family’ in Pakistan - Telegraph
It has been hit by repeated allegations of corruption and claims that officials from the Pakistan People’s Party – now led by Mrs Bhutto’s son Bilawal – have obtained lists of beneficiaries for follow-up visits in which families are told to remember where the cash has come from when they vote.
“The fact that it is called Benazir Income Support Programme tends to suggest that there is what is called clientelism,” Dr Ahmad, who held several senior positions at the IMF, told The Daily Telegraph. “The more you give the more benefit there is to the party that bears the Bhutto name.”