A government audit has revealed Rs. 141 billion in financial irregularities within the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) for the 2023-24 fiscal year. The report highlights unauthorized payments, misuse of educational stipends, and fraudulent cash withdrawals from beneficiaries’ accounts.
According to the audit, over Rs. 116.95 billion was distributed to more than three million beneficiaries who lacked a registered family CNIC, raising concerns that funds may have gone to ineligible individuals, including government employees and business owners.
Additionally, Rs. 138 million was paid to 5.43 million students without verifying their attendance. Another Rs. 154 million went to 57,833 students who failed to meet the 70% attendance requirement, while unauthorized students received Rs. 10 million in scholarships.
The report also uncovered that Rs. 4 billion was given to individuals listed on the Active Taxpayers List, and Rs. 454.7 million in cash grants was withdrawn from unrelated districts. Unauthorized withdrawals from beneficiaries’ accounts totaled Rs. 11.5 million.
Further findings include Rs. 5.46 million in unpaid dues, an unauthorized $7.72 million payment under the household survey, and Rs. 63.7 million improperly allocated as deputation allowances to unauthorized employees.
Other irregularities include Rs. 55 million in overpayments under the Nashonuma Program, Rs. 40 million lost to misappropriation, Rs. 30 million in uncollected income tax, and Rs. 6 million given to government employees’ families.
The audit also exposed unauthorized student enrollments in the educational stipend program, with Rs. 2.8 million already disbursed under these irregularities.
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