MIRPUR KHAS(INP): In pursuance of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) commitment to transparency and effective service delivery, Biometric Verification System (BVS) for payments would eliminate the loopholes of the previous payment modes.
This was stated by Minister of State and Chairperson of BISP Marvi Memon while inaugurating BVS in Mirpur Khas and Sanghar in the presence of BISP beneficiaries, BISP officials, local politicians, notables and media.
It would help BISP beneficiaries in getting rid of fraudsters who used to loot their money through deception. Now beneficiaries would become more empowered and financially included as per Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar’s vision of financial inclusion.
Total number of beneficiaries in Mirpur Khas and Sanghar are 50,104 and 90,866 respectively who used to receive payments through Pakistan Post, smart cards and debit cards. 3,450 beneficiaries in Mirpur Khas and 20,663 beneficiaries in Sanghar, holding smard cards, have been shifted to BVS while rest of the beneficiaries, being paid through Pakistan Post and debit cards would be shifted to BVS from November 2016 onwards.
The BISP Chairperson informed that in Biometric Verification System (BVS), beneficiary would present CNIC only at POS (Point of Sale) or franchisee of the partner bank and affix her thumb impression for the withdrawal. A system generated receipt would be given to her showing the record of payment and balance.
The Chairperson added that beneficiaries, in the districts where BVS is being implemented, will start receiving free of cost SIMS for communication purpose from November 2016. They would receive messages from banks informing them about the arrival/withdrawals of stipends in their accounts as and when happens. This will help beneficiaries for receipt of full amounts as received from BISP.
In 2008, when BISP was started, payments were made through Pakistan Post. Gradually, the payment system was shifted to smart cards, mobile phone banking and debit cards.
At present, 90 percent of beneficiaries are drawing their stipends through debit cards, 1 percent through Mobile banking and 3% through biometric mechanism and 6 percent are still receiving funds through Pakistan Post. BISP is in the process of shifting gradually to BVS from all of current payment modes.
