The Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) board has approved the inclusion of the transgender community as beneficiaries of the Benazir Kafalat Programme (BKP), it emerged on Friday.

In the 56th Board of Directors meeting chaired by federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety and BISP Chairman Shazia Marri, the board members urged the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) to simplify a system for updating the transgender community’s CNICs.

Speaking on the occasion, Marri termed the approval of the transgender policy as a “landmark achievement” of the present government and urged the board members to use their “good offices and influence” to mobilise the marginalised community so that the maximum number of transgender persons could benefit from the policy.

On Friday, the federal minister outlined the process for the members of the transgender community to register themselves with BKP, adding that they would receive Rs7,000 upon successful registration.

The board also acknowledged that organisations like BISP, Nadra and partner banks have “worked tremendously” to extend financial support to flood affectees in a short span of time.

The board decided that BISP was going to adopt a new payment system under which the beneficiaries would be able to get funding directly through the bank of their own choice, thus ensuring a transparent cash disbursement mechanism.

Marri also informed the board that under the prime minister’s cash relief assistance for flood-affected people, Rs70 billion were disbursed among 2.8 million families.

However, she said that there was a “lot more” that still needed to be done for the flood victims’ relief and rehabilitation.

The board meeting further approved the autonomous working of procurement and the cybercrime section, and took decisions for BISP’s structural improvement, including the upgradation of five districts of Balochistan with a large number of beneficiaries.

The members also approved structural reforms for Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan.

The BISP board approved an assistance package for employees who pass away during service, which includes a one-time grant of Rs2 million for employees of grades one to eight; Rs5m for employees of grades nine to 16 and Rs7m for employees in grades 17 and above.

The board referred the proposal for revision of pay and allowances of BISP employees to the Finance and HR Committee.

The members were informed that no revision of pay and allowance was given to BISP employees since 2019.