Ehsaas Ration Program: Some Noticeable Facts

Ehsaas Ration Program: Some Noticeable Facts

The Ehsaas Ration Program in Punjab is an impactful initiative by the government of Pakistan aimed at providing monthly stipends of groceries to deserving households.

Here are some noticeable facts about this program:

Ehsaas Ration Program: Statistical Facts

• Ehsaas Ration Program was launched in 2021 under the umbrella of the Ehsaas program to provide monthly rations to over 20 million households in Punjab.
• The program has a total allocated budget of Rs. 56 billion to deliver rations across the province. This makes it one of the largest ration stipend programs in South Asia.
• Over 4.5 million households have been identified as deserving recipients of the monthly Ehsaas Ration based on transparent eligibility criteria.
• The program aims to deliver a monthly stipend worth Rs. 1,000 to each deserving household to help them meet nutrition needs.
• Ehsaas Ration provides a standard package of basic food items including flour, cooking oil, pulses, rice, sugar, etc. to ensure balanced nutritional intake.
• The stipend is provided in the form of direct bank transfers using branchless banking channels to ensure transparency.
• The program is being implemented across 36 districts of Punjab in phases. It will eventually cover all districts.
• Over 700 ration collection points have been set up at designated retail outlets to facilitate stipend collection.
• Technology is being leveraged through an Android app to authenticate recipients and register ration collections.
• Strict monitoring mechanisms involving district administrations have been put in place to prevent misuse and ensure transparency.

• Ehsaas Ration Program aims to benefit over 7 million vulnerable women in Punjab through the monthly stipends.
• The program was designed after extensive consultations with relevant stakeholders including academia, experts, NGOs.
• Ehsaas has partnered with Punjab Bank and Habib Bank Limited to disburse monthly stipends into recipient accounts.
• Recipients can collect their monthly Ehsaas Ration from designated retail outlets after biometric verification.
• The program aims to uplift over 15% of Punjab’s population out of poverty and food vulnerability.
• The Ehsaas Ration Program was launched after 2 years of extensive planning and consultations.
• It is estimated that Ehsaas Ration will end up distributing over 150,000 metric tons of flour annually.
• Over 85% of identified recipients are from the lowest income segments earning under Rs. 31,000 per month.
• The program aims to supplement 50-70% of monthly kitchen expenditure for recipients.
• Ehsaas Ration stipend is credited between 10-15th of every month into recipient accounts.
• The standard ration package provides 4kg flour, 1kg rice, 1kg sugar, 1kg pulses, 1 liter oil, 1kg dates per family.
• The program has a complaint redressal rate of over 90% within 48 hours.
• Ehsaas field force conducts surveys and utilization audits to get beneficiary feedback.
• Machine learning algorithms help analyze data to predict requirements and streamline delivery.
• Ehsaas Ration has led to significant savings on kitchen expenditure for beneficiaries.
• The program witnessed a 20% increase in uptake after internet-free registration was enabled.
• Over 60% of recipients report improvement in family’s nutrition status after receiving Ehsaas Ration.
• Special monitoring is undertaken in districts bordering India like Rajanpur to curb misuse.
• The program aims to expand coverage to over 90% of deserving households by 2025.
• Ehsaas Ration has benefited over 200,000 households headed by widows/orphans.
• Leveraging banks and retail networks has minimized operational costs for efficient delivery.
• Surprise census surveys are conducted periodically to identify new deserving households.
• Ehsaas aims to act as a social safety net against poverty traps caused by inflationary shocks.
• The program has paved the way for modern data-driven welfare policies in Pakistan.
• Ehsaas Ration stipend helps recipients avoid reliance on exploitative informal loans.

Interesting Facts About Ehsaas Ration Program

1. The Ehsaas Ration provides special additional allotments for pregnant women and children under 2 years.
2. Recipients get SMS alerts for stipend transfers and can check balance through SMS or mobile app.
3. Ehsaas leverages NADRA database analytics to identify deserving households based on poverty levels.
4. Special quotas have been allocated for labor communities including daily wagers, street hawkers etc.
5. Ehsaas Ration Program stipend value is tagged to inflation so it retains purchasing power.
6. District administrations conduct random checks at ration centers to prevent irregularities.
7. Retail centers displaying Ehsaas banners act as ration collection points for recipients.
8. The program has created over 15,000 contractual employment opportunities for supply chain management.
9. Ehsaas set up a helpline and complaint cell to facilitate beneficiaries and address grievances.
10. Ration stipends uplift marginalized communities including religious minorities, transgender people.
11. Technology integration has enabled real-time monitoring dashboards and analytics.
12. Punjab Ehsaas Program ensures special focus on enabling access for elderly and disabled recipients.
13. Recipients will be graduated out of the program after improvement in socio-economic status.
14. Regular third-party audits and spot checks are conducted to ensure transparency.
15. Ehsaas Ration Punjab has benefited over 100,000 households in remote and underprivileged rural areas.