Dr Sania Nishtar Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation said on Wednesday she will hold a briefing in this week regarding ‘Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme’, which will benefit 67 million people across the country.

“I will do a press conference this week to explain how the “#Ehsaas Emergency Cash and SMS program” will be implemented,” she tweeted.

I will do a press conference this week to explain how the “#Ehsaas Emergency Cash and SMS program” will be implemented.

— Sania Nishtar (@SaniaNishtar) March 24, 2020

Earlier today, Dr Sania Nishtar announced that the Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme has been approved for 10 million people, in which Rs12,000 will be given to a family. In her tweets, she noted that 67 million people across Pakistan would benefit from the plan.

Approved: “#Ehsaas Emergency Cash program” for 10 million afectees. Rs. 12,000 per family. 67 million people will benefit (given household size). Daily wage earners are our top priority, whose livelihood has been badly affected by the corona-induced economic downturn 1/6

— Sania Nishtar (@SaniaNishtar) March 24, 2020

There are three categories in the 10 million. (1) 4.5 million existing #Ehsaas Kafaalat beneficiaries (all women) already getting Rs. 2000 will get extra Rs. 1000 emergency relief (total=Rs.3000) for the next 4months 2/6

— Sania Nishtar (@SaniaNishtar) March 24, 2020

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(3) An SMS campaign, to be launched in 2 weeks will allow others, not currently enrolled in the database to seek assistance. District Administrations will conduct assessments speedily after SMS is received. Around 2.5 million will be identified through the #Ehsaas SMS route 4/6

— Sania Nishtar (@SaniaNishtar) March 24, 2020

Data analytics will be used to ensure that the system is not abused. CNICs of those declared eligible will be passed to #Ehsaas partner banks @HBLPak @BankAlfalahPAK and simultaneously an SMS message will be sent to them directing them to collect money through nearest bank. 5/6

— Sania Nishtar (@SaniaNishtar) March 24, 2020

“Daily wage earners are our top priority, whose livelihood has been badly affected by the corona-induced economic downturn,” she tweeted.

She further said that the affectees are put into three categories — 4.5 million existing Ehsaas Kafaalat beneficiaries, all of whom were women, 3 million affectees will be identified through the national socioeconomic database, and around 2.5 million to be identified through the Ehsaas SMS route.

Eligibility for the second category will be “relaxed upwards” as the people who previously earned up to Rs20,000 and “have now suffered economic shock and are without livelihood” would be helped.