ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday said that a comprehensive strategy has been devised for the first time in Pakistan to bring the poor out of poverty.

Chairing a meeting on the Kamyab Pakistan Program here, he said that besides financial assistance of the downtrodden segment, the present government’s foremost priority was to make the people economically self-reliant.

He said it is the foremost priority of the government to help downtrodden segment of the society and make youth self-sufficient in employment.

He also cited the examples of China and India and said that unlike India which failed, China successfully steered millions of people out of poverty during the last 30 years. The meeting was briefed about inclusion of Kamyab Kissan, Kamyab Karobar, Kamyab Hunarmand, low cost housing schemes and lending program for Kamyab Pakistan Housing in one program titled Kamyab Pakistan Program.

It was told that Kamyab Pakistan Programme will play an important role in enhancing economic activities in the country and making people self-dependent in terms of employment.

Kamyab Pakistan Program will play a pivotal role in accelerating economic activities and making people self-reliant. Under the program, new applicants for housing, business and agriculture will be provided loans at mass level.

Launches one-window Ehsaas Centre to facilitate poor

Minister for Finance Shaukat Tarin, Special Assistants to PM Waqar Masood, Usman Dar, Chairman Naya Pakistan Housing Authority Lt. Gen. ® Anwar Ali Haider, Chairman Habib Bank Sultan Ali Alana, President Punjab Bank Zafar Masood and concerned senior officers and stakeholders attended the meeting.

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday inaugurated the first One-Window Ehsaas Centre in Islamabad to facilitate the poor at one platform.

The centre features the services including Ehsaas Hunar, Ehsaas Utility Store, Langar Khana, Waseela Taleem, Ehsaas Nashonuma, ATM for payment to Ehsaas Kafalat beneficiaries, One Woman One Account, Ehsaas Tahaffuz, Ehsaas Wifi Café, Ehsaas Scholarship, Ehsaas interest free loans, NADRA office for biometric verification and others.

“This is the basis of a welfare state,” the prime minister said as Dr Sania Nishtar briefed him on the One-Window Centre housing 20 services concerning all organs of the Ehsaas program.

The prime minister, who also planted a sapling there after unveiling the plaque, took a round of the centre and interacted with the beneficiaries as well as the officials.

At a Utility Store set up inside the centre, the prime minister was apprised of how it would facilitate the needy people.

Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection Dr Sania Nishtar briefed Imran Khan about the initiative which is aimed at ensuring access to all the facilities and services of Ehsaas Program under one roof.

She said the Ehsaas One Window centres will be established in every district of the country.

She said the Ehsaas One Window initiative has six components. Its first component is Ehsaas Center. Others include digital information and services platform, a mobile app, back office consolidated digital interface, a database and a uniform and integrated beneficiary targeting policy.

She said the nationwide survey was 91 percent complete that, after integration, would be accessible to all Ehsaas organs to know the eligibility and needs of an applicant.

She said earlier, there was a discrepancy in the process as the agencies were using varying eligibility methods, influential families availing the benefits while others used to remain deprived of their rights.

She said earlier the registration of disabled persons was difficult and lengthy procedure; however the database would make it easier also enabling the agencies concerned to know their needs like wheel chair.

Dr Sania said through One Window Digital, the frequently asked questions of the people regarding scholarships, loans etc. would be responded in simple Urdu.

Moreover, the mobile application would enable the people to locate the nearest Panagah or Langar Khana, particularly for the benefit of the volunteers.

During the briefing, the prime minister remarked that the education scholarship being offered by the provincial and federal government should be consolidated at a single database for the benefit of students.

He said the database would also enable the government to extend direct subsidy to the needy people to make them avail the commodities reduced rates through Utility Stores.