Stanford University has published a paper on how the world can learn from Imran Khan’s poverty alleviation Ehsaas Program implemented by the PTI government from 2018 onwards.
Stanford University appreciated the program in June 6 article named as “Frameworks for a Developmental Welfare State: Lessons From Pakistan’s Ehsaas Program”
The Government of Pakistan has been implementing the Ehsaas Program – Khan’s key initiative toward a welfare state – to order to improve the living conditions of the poorest and most vulnerable segment of the population.
The program provides cash transfers to eligible households, as well as access to health, education, and livelihoods services. As of May 2020, over 4 million households had benefited from the Imran Khan’s program.
Read more: Ehsaas program ready to fulfill needs of needy
It also include the launching of a national social safety net portal and the introduction of a social security card.
The Ehsaas Program provides a variety of services to vulnerable Pakistanis, including cash transfers, targeted subsidies, and increased health and nutritional coverage. The Program has been successful in assisting many of the most vulnerable people in Pakistan and is considered a world-leading anti-poverty effort.
Furthermore, This study explores the various policy, programmatic, and implementation reforms undertaken during this period, with a focus on the lessons these reforms offer for global policymakers.
In particular, the study highlights the importance of “good leadership, building strong institutions, effectively using data and technology, and of using an integrated, inclusive approach to anti-poverty.”
While grappling with stabilising a bankrupt economy, IMF programme, Covid 19 and commodity super cycle, our govt still managed to lay the foundation of a welfare state for the first time in our history.https://t.co/Y3gwS1iPxB
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) June 22, 2022
The findings indicate that “these reforms have enabled Ehsaas to successfully scale impact, increase transparency, and improve the efficiency of its interventions, whilst building trust amongst beneficiaries and program administrators.”
Earlier this year, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates termed the Ehsaas programme a ‘state of the art’ initiative of the country, aimed at alleviating poverty and extending help to the marginalised communities of the country.
His remarks came as he met former special assistant to the PM on poverty alleviation Dr Sania Nishtar during his first-ever visit to Pakistan.
Citing the Stanford University study, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan stated that his government lay the foundation of a welfare state for the ‘first time’ in Pakistan’s history.
Read more: Can ‘Ehsaas’ program embrace street children?
Taking to Twitter, the former prime minister said the former PTI government grappled with “stabilising a bankrupt economy”, the International Monetary Fund programme, the Covid pandemic and the commodity super cycle, yet “still managed to lay the foundation of a welfare state”.