Islamabad: SAPM Dr. Sania Nishtar chaired the stocktake meeting with Ehsaas Amdan implementing partners today. The meeting virtually tracked the progress of Ehsaas Amdan being implemented in 388 rural union councils of 23 poorest districts across the four provinces. Last year in February, the Prime Minister had launched Ehsaas Amdan programme to enhance the livelihoods of downtrodden segments of society. In the meeting, target oriented detailed discussions took place with partners. All Amdan partners presented holistic overview of their respective performance along with the operational challenges being confronted by them in the context of COVID-19 pandemic.

“Addition of new districts should be purely on already set criteria and according to human development ranking of the districts”, said Dr. Nishtar. She further emphasized the need to be responsive to the circumstances and needs of potential beneficiaries. Both Dr. Nishtar and Muhammad Ali Shahzada, Secretary Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division (PASSD) stressed the need to fast track progress.

The 4-year Amdan programme worth Rs. 15 billion features transferring around 200,000 assets to the deserving households with 60 percent women and 30 percent youth beneficiaries. Under the programme, a financial support of Rs. 60,000 per household has been provisioned for asset transfers, which will ultimately impact the lives of 1.4 million people over four years. To-date, income generating assets worth Rs. 2.32 billion have been granted to 38,749 vulnerable households to set them on a course of socio-economic prosperity.

Ehsaas Amdan involves giving away of ‘small income generating assets’ to those living below the poverty line so that they can earn a living and can come out of the shackles of poverty.
Beneficiaries are identified through a community engagement process in the selected programme areas. Districts in Punjab, where this programme is commencing, include Dera Ghazi Khan, Jhang, and Layyah. In KP, there are 10 districts: Upper Kohistan, Lower Kohistan, Palas Kolai, Torghar, Batagram, Shangla, North Waziristan, South Waziristan, Dera Ismail Khan, Tank. In Balochistan there are three districts: Zhob, Gwadar and Lasbela. In Sindh, the districts include Badin, Thatta, Sujawal, Kashmore, Shikarpur, Tharparkar and Umerkot.

The meeting was an opportunity for the leadership of six implementing partners from the four provinces to overview of the programme. The Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF), which is an organization attached to the PASSD, is the lead implementing agency for the Ehsaas Amdan programme, and is working through secondary implementing partner organizations- National Rural Support Programme, Balochistan Rural Support Programme, Sindh Rural Support Organization, Thardeep Rural Development Programme, LASOONA and SABAWON. Alongside, CEO PPAF, Qazi Azmat Isa was also in attendance.