Daily Times

While the street is abuzz with warnings of runaway inflation and the threat of an economic slow down, Prime Minister Imran Khan has issued a policy statement regarding Ehsaas, his government’s flagship poverty alleviation programme.

Mr Khan has tweeted: “I am pleased to release my policy statement on Ehsaas, my priority poverty reduction programme with its four focus areas and 115 policy actions to reduce poverty, invest in people and uplift lagging districts.”

The tweet follows the issuance of a 15-page policy statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office. The government is describing Ehsaas as “the biggest and the boldest programme” for the poor. It says all stakeholders in the public as well as the private sector are being engaged. The programme’s objective is to lift millions of people out of poverty.

The prime minister says he intends to make provision of food, clothing, housing, education and medical care fundamental rights through a constitutional amendment. The tricky part is the government wants a ‘need-based’ system of allocation of resources to address inequalities.

The policy statement indicates that the Council of Common Interests will be asked to create equal opportunities for all citizens, irrespective of where they live. The provinces will be asked to follow a similar system.

This sounds too much like running provincial governments from Islamabad. Any attempts to erode or undermine provincial autonomy should be resisted.

The policy statement says a National Socioeconomic Registry shall undertake surveys and analyze the data to determine the poverty levels. Kifalat and Tahaffuz programmes will cover around 6 million women under a One Woman, One Bank Account policy. These programmes will be executed under the Benazir Income Support Programme.

That the government appears to be willing to do something for the poor sounds good. However, it is no justification for limiting provincial autonomy.

Meanwhile, the government should be lauded for not scrapping or renaming the BISP despite a demand to this effect by its allies and the prime minister’s alleged willingness to go along. It can be argued that most elements of the Ehsaas programme could have been incorporated into the BISP. The reason for not doing so appears to be the fear that in that event the government will not get enough credit for it. That should be okay. Any government, including this one, has the right to call itself pro-poor. In the end it will be judged by the electorate. *