78.44m people apply for Ehsaas cash grant via SMS

ISLAMABAD: More than 2.73 million people have received cash assistance of Rs12,000 each under the Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation Dr Sania Nishtar said on Tuesday.

She in a statement said a sum of Rs32.87 billion has be disbursed among deserving families across the country so far. She added as many as 78.44 million SMS requests have been received for grant under the programme.

She said, in order to incentivise branchless banking operations from operating in the current difficult environment, the federal cabinet has approved waiver of advance withholding tax on commission collected under section 233 of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001 from branchless banking agents.

“We are striving to do all we can to make sure that bonafide branchless banking operators keep their operations open so that maximum number of people are facilitated” she maintained.