ISLAMABAD     -          Benazir Income Support Programme’s Board on Thursday approved policy for inclusions of transgender community as beneficiaries of Benazir Kafalat Programme. The decision in this regard was made by the 56th meeting of BISP Board of Directors which met here with Shazia Marri, Chairperson BISP in chair. The meeting discussed the organisation’s structural reforms and approved policy for inclusions of transgender community as beneficiaries of Benazir Kafalat Programme of BISP and urged NADRA to simplify a system for updating CNIC of transgender community. Shazia Marri termed approval of Transgender Policy as a landmark achievement of the present government and urged the members of the Board of Directors to use their good offices and influence for mobilisation this marginalised community, so that maximum number of transgenders may get benefit from this policy. BISP Board agrees on a new system of payment to beneficiaries ensuring their financial empowerment. The BISP Chairperson informed the Board of Directors that under Prime Minister cash relief assistance for flood-affected people Rs70 billion have been disbursed among 2.8 million families for which she appreciated BISP manpower, NADRA and at certain level to partner banks and said that there is a lot more that still needs to be done for the relief and rehabilitation of the flood victims. The meeting approved the autonomous working of procurement and also Cyber Crime Section and took decisions for the structural improvement of the BISP which includes up-gradation of five districts of Balochistan having a large number of beneficiaries. It also approved the structural reforms for Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan regions The BISP Board approved assistance package for employees who die during service which includes a one-time grant of Rs2 million for the employees of Grade-1 to 8, Rs5 million for the employees of Grade-9 to 16 and Rs7 million for employees in Grade-17 and above. The board referred the proposal of revision of pay and allowances of BISP employees to the Finance and HR Committee. The board was informed that since 2019, no revision of pay and allowance has been given to employees of BISP. The board further introduced the contribution of provident fund, benevolent fund and group insurance policy to the regular employees of BISP. The board acknowledged that organisations like, BISP, NADRA and partner banks have worked tremendously to extend financial support to flood affectees in a short span of time and decided that BISP is going to adopt a new payment system under which the beneficiaries will be able to get funding directly through bank of their own choice which will ensure transparent cash disbursement mechanism. Dr Qaider Bengali, Sania Riffat, Usman Hassan were present in meeting while Haris Gazdar and Ashfaq Hassan Khan attended meeting through video link. Secretary BISP, Yusuf Khan moderated the board meeting.