Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday launched Ehsaas Saving Wallets (Ehsaas Bachat Bank Account) Initiative in Islamabad.
It is aimed at financial and digital inclusion of women.
Speaking on the occasion, the prime minister termed it a very significant programme, saying financial inclusion of women will help in their mainstreaming and reduce the poverty.
He said through Ehsaas Bachat Bank Account, the women will be able to better utilise the cash assistance being given to them under Ehsaas Programme. The prime minister was confident that like other programmes of Ehsaas, this will also prove to be a success. Imran Khan pointed out that Ehsaas Cash Emergency program has been ranked amongst top four social protection interventions by the World Bank.
He said in the wake of Covid-19, cash assistance was delivered to the deserving families in the most transparent and apolitical manner. He said if timely assistance was not delivered, the situation arising out of the pandemic would have added to the woes of the poor a lot. The prime minister noted that no nation can become great until and unless it takes care of the poor people. The prime minister once again expressed the commitment to uplift the weak segments of the society as per the principles of State of Madina.
On the occasion, Special Assistant on Poverty Alleviation Sania Nishtar briefed the prime minister about the Ehsaas Saving Wallets. Under this programme, Ehsaas Kafaalat beneficiaries will have the option of either drawing their money or saving money into the digital wallets. The beneficiaries of Kafaalat program can open these accounts at agent shops or ATMs. Initial transactions through these accounts will include balance inquiry, cash in and cash out, transfer funds received from Ehsaas to mobile accounts, mobile top up, utility bill payments and money transfers.
In her remarks, Sania Nishtar said the social safety net will be further expanded and one window facility will be opened at Tehsil level to integrate all Ehsaas programs under one roof. She said the first one window facility will soon be opened in Islamabad. She said Ehsaas Saving Wallets will prove to be an important milestone for the economic empowerment of the women. She said this programme has been framed keeping in view the best international practices. The aim of this programme is to encourage savings which has shown to help alleviate poverty. It will deepen the financial inclusion initiated under the ‘One Woman One Bank Account Policy’.
