The Benazir Income Support Programme has announced that the upcoming quarterly instalment under the Benazir Kafaalat programme will be disbursed exclusively through digital wallets, making subscriber identity module card registration a mandatory requirement for all beneficiaries who wish to continue receiving their payments. June 15 has been set as the final deadline by which beneficiaries must have a registered SIM card in their name, failing which they will not receive the next quarterly payment. Women who do not yet have a SIM card have been advised to visit their nearest Benazir Income Support Programme office, bringing their personal mobile phone along, where they can collect a free SIM card before the deadline passes.
The announcement came alongside an E-Katcheri session chaired by Benazir Income Support Programme Chairperson Senator Rubina Khalid at the programme’s headquarters in Islamabad. The one-hour live session was attended by Director Generals and other senior officials and saw 27 callers from across the country connect directly with the Chairperson to present their individual complaints and concerns in real time. Senator Khalid directed the concerned authorities to resolve all outstanding issues within the stipulated timeframe and made clear that negligence in handling beneficiary complaints would not be tolerated.
On the matter of biometric verification, the programme confirmed that beneficiaries facing difficulties with thumb verification can visit National Database and Registration Authority offices for facial verification, where a certificate can be obtained for a fee of Rs 20. Upon submitting this facial verification certificate at a Benazir Income Support Programme office, affected beneficiaries will be able to receive their payments without further biometric complications. The programme also issued a warning regarding fraudulent communications, confirming that 8171 is its only official contact number and that any message received from a different number should be treated as fraudulent and reported immediately. On the matter of survey eligibility, the programme clarified that beneficiaries who have already completed a survey are not eligible for a re-survey for a minimum period of two years from the date of their original assessment, while those who have received stipends continuously for three years are required to undergo a full recertification process in order to continue receiving payments.
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