Food Support Programme (FSP)

The Food Support Program (FSP) was a social safety net targeting poorest of the poor to provide relief due to increase in the wheat prices since August 2000 with annual budget of Rs.2.5 (b). Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal (PBM) administers FSP in collaboration with Pakistan Post Office and Provincial Governments. Due to efficacy and effectiveness of the programme, the Federal Government revised the ceiling from Rs.2000/- to Rs.2400/- in F.Y 2003-04 paid bi-annually and from Rs. 2400 to Rs. 3000 in F.Y 2005-06 paid annually along with increase in coverage from 1.25 (m) house holds to 1.46 (m) house holds. From current F. Y 2007-08 the annual budget of FSP has been increased from Rs. 4.38 (b) to 6 (b) along with coverage from 1.46 (m) to 2 (m) house holds.  Since inception of FSP Rs. 24.215 billion have been paid in 13 installments.

Objective	Support wheat purchasing  capacity of the poorest, launched in August 2000 at the time of wheat crop harvesting. Increase storage capacity of wheat
Benefit	Annual subsidy of Rs.3000/- per household Rs. 24.175 (b) disbursed since 2000
Beneficiaries Budget	1.46 (m) HHs up-to 12th  instalment 2 (m) HHs from 13th instalment Rs. 6 (Billion) stopped from 13th instalment

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible

Assistance is provided to the needy individuals having no support or source of income in following order of priority:

· Individual with major ailments / disability

· Widows with dependent children

· Invalid with dependent children

· Infirm (senior citizens above 65)

· Orphans 

· Destitute

· Victims of unpredictable circumstances  

Ineligible

· Govt. employees and their family members   

· Beneficiaries of other social welfare agencies

· False declaration or provision of wrong information may result in recoveries and permanent ineligibility or debar from all PBM schemes.

Salient Features

· Annual subsidy of Rs.3000/- is paid to each of 2 (m) households annually through their accounts in post offices/Banks countrywide

· 13.6 (m) people benefit from FSP  (average 6.8 per family)

· 3% of the total allocation is used for minorities households FSP Steering Committees constituted at the Federal, Provincial and District levels for implementation and monitoring

Procedure

· Applications are received at PBM Offices, Zakat Committees, District, Tehsil & Union Council Nazims and DCO Offices.

· Applications are verified & scrutinized by the DCOs through task force

· Applications recommended by the task forces are considered/approved by the District Food Support Steering Committees (DFSSCs) keeping in view the district quota.

· A list of approved beneficiaries is then forwarded to GPOs / Banks for opening of Saving Bank Accounts and payment of subsidy

Disbursement Since Inception

Province / Region	FY. 2000-2001		FY.2001-2002		FY. 2002-2003		FY. 2003-2004		FY. 2004-2005		FY. 2005-2006		FY. 2006-2007		FY. 2007-2008		FY. 2008-2009
	Disb	Benf	Disb	Benf	Disb	Benf	Disb	Benf	Disb	Benf	Disb	Benf	Disb	Benf	Disb	Benf	Disb	Benf
Punjab	591	591,126	1,090	544,868	1,127	563,508	1,428	595,000	1,351	562,917	1,690	752,192	1,793	739,782	2,222.94	739,782	-	-
Sindh	257	256,708	479	239,454	466	232,907	629	262,083	570	237,500	521	313024	759	293460	980.235	293,460	880.125	293,375
Khyber Pakhtunkwa / FATA	186	186,472	456	227,753	430	215,245	499	207,917	514	214,167	582	263,968	746	280,758	543.21	280,758	913.269	304,423
Bolachistan	45	45,285	91	45,475	90	44,816	98	40,833	110	45,833	124	54,896	128	71,394	168.369	71,394	207.648	69,216
ICT / AJK / N. As	61	61,337	116	58,048	122	60,796	150	62,500	158	65,833	173	75,920	120	74,606	216.225	74,606	304.41	101,470
TOTAL	1,141	1,140,928	2,232	1,115,598	2,235	1,117,272	2,804	1,168,333	2,703	1,126,250	3,090	1,460,000	3,545	1,460,000	4,130.98	1,460,000	2,305.45	768,484

Media Campaign for FSP

PBM is running a comprehensive and effective media campaign for awareness of the beneficiaries and general public through following means:

· Electronic media through public service messages and news morning programme.

· Print media through advertisements and press releases.

· Involvement of District Governments.

· Announcements on Mosques loudspeakers.

· Issuance of intimation letters.

· Pasting of posters