Socio-economic Impacts of Benazir Income Support Program’s (BISP) Unconditional Cash Transfer (UCT), in Quetta Balochistan

Abstract

This study analyzed information gathered from 200 women/beneficiaries of Benazir Income Support Program in Quetta District of Balochistan in Pakistan in order to determine socioeconomic impacts of Benazir Income Support Program (BISP). Information was collected through household survey questionnaire, group discussions and semi-structured personal interviews. Through the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), we analyzed the data using the descriptive statistics such as, frequency distribution and percentages. The findings of this study revealed that the randomly received amount was mostly (utilized on basic food items. However, utilizing the amount, very few (5%) of women started small-scale business, at household level. Based on findings, we recommend that there is great need to increase the UCT amount. In other words, the recognized (holding the Poverty Score Card) poor/beneficiary of BISP will remain below the poverty line, according to the country‟s poverty definition. Thus, there is a need to provide incentives to poor women according to their needs, problems and potential.