Sargodha: Addressing a news conference in Sargodha today, SAPM Dr. Sania Nishtar formally opened Ehsaas survey in the district. With the accelerated execution of the Ehsaas survey post-COVID-19, this was the fifth news briefing by Nishtar in a month. “The new Ehsaas survey has begun in all seven Tehsils of Sargodha while it is 70% ready nationwide and would realize by June 2021 to enrol 7 million households living in extreme poverty” she said. “To ensure the timely completion, Ehsaas has expedited the digitally oriented survey activities in the entire country”, she then continued.

As across KP, GB, AJK and several other areas, Ehsaas survey in Sargodha is being rolled out through an approach where local teachers will collect data within their designated enumeration areas. For the purpose of collecting household data in a fully transparent manner, the survey has been technically administered by Ehsaas in collaboration with the School Education Department of Punjab. So far, 717 teachers have been technically trained as enumerators to collect data from door to door in all Tehsils of Sargodha. According to 2017 census, there are more than 600,000 households in Sargodha and to assist with the survey, 4,977 enumeration areas have been defined accordingly.

The survey teams are collecting household data on the doorstep through android applications. Households are being enrolled or excluded in the Ehsaas Kafaalat based on information gathered in the survey. With the readiness of survey in each district, eligible households are being enrolled and provided Kafaalat stipends phase-wise. Through 8171 SMS service, eligibility messages are also being sent out to the newly enrolled households asking them to collect their Kafaalat payment from the biometric ATMs, designated retail outlets and payment sites of the partner banks- HBL (Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, Islamabad) and Bank Alfalah (KP, GB, AJK).

Further, Nishtar urged district administration, government teachers and local media to create awareness about the survey among the public, stating that it is a free-of-cost and voluntary process and therefore, the people cooperate with the survey team by sharing correct and accurate information.

Executed by the government, the Ehsaas survey and Ehsaas Kafaalat enrolments are being undertaken on non-political basis so that deserving households can reap maximum benefits of this programme. This survey will also enable the government in effective targeting of the most vulnerable households for Ehsaas Kafaalat, Waseela-e-Taleem Digital, Ehsaas Nashonuma as well as several others.

Later, Nishtar visited the site of the survey in adjoining area of Sargodha to meet beneficiaries and enquired about the survey process and performance of enumerators.