‘78,000 schoolgirls get Khidmat Card’

LAHORE: Punjab Social Protection Authority (PSPA) has successfully mobilised the third batch of beneficiaries of Khadim-e-Punjab Zevar-e-Taleem Programme following which 78,000 schoolgirls have been issued Khidmat Card and at present total number of beneficiaries of the programme has reached 428,000, who are getting monthly financial assistance of Rs 1,000 each.

According to a PSPA spokesman, earlier the authority in collaboration with the School Education Department launched Khadim-e-Punjab Zevar-e-Taleem Programme - the conditional cash assistance programme on March 15, 2017 by means of which stipends to girl students (class 6-10) studying in public sector schools were initiated in 16 low-literacy districts. The purpose of this social protection initiative was to improve enrollment and retention of girl students in public sector schools, besides reducing gender disparities and enhancing female participation.

The cash assistance is being disbursed through the financial instrument of Khidmat Card (ATM/debit card coupled with mobile payments) to the girls of government schools in Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur, Bhakkar, Chiniot, DG Khan, Jhang, Kasur, Khanewal, Layyah, Lodhran, Muzaffargarh, Okara, Pakpattan, Rajanpur, Rahim Yar Khan and Vehari districts. Khidmat Card under the Zevar-e-Taleem Programme is issued in the name of the mother or the father of a girl student eligible for the programme. The cash disbursement is made within 48 working hours of issuance of Khidmat Card. Subsequent disbursements are made on quarterly basis. The schoolgirls will remain entitled subject to the condition of their 80 per cent attendance at schools. Students enrolled in grade 10 will automatically be excluded from the programme upon completion of the academic session. The students dropped out of schools would also be excluded from the programme. Registration of beneficiaries is being done through mobile registration teams at School Education Department-operated static centres and franchises of telecom operators, set up at each of 57 targeted tehsils of 16 districts.