Adequate nutrition during the first two years of a child's life plays a key role in mental and physical development. Therefore, the Government of Pakistan under Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) along with World Food Program has launched Benazir Nashonuma program to improve health for expecting and lactating women and children under two years of age. Under the program the beneficiaries receive stipends on quarterly basis along with special supplementary food.
In this article, we will be discussing the eligibility criteria and registration process for Benazir Nashonuma program.
What are the eligibility criteria for Benazir Nashonuma program?
The eligibility criteria for Benazir Nashonuma program is as under,
- Shall fall in the following categories,
- Expecting or lactating Woman,
- Child 6 – 23 months of age
- Expecting and lactating women registering for the program should be active BISP beneficiaries receiving unconditional cash transfer under Benazir Kafalat program,
- Are residents of any district of Pakistan,
What are the documents required for registration in Benazir Nashonuma program?
The following documents are required for enrolment in the Benazir Nashonuma program,
- Women's Identity Card issued by NADRA,
- Child's B-Form issued by NADRA,
- Child's immunization record (the immunization record should be updated every three months)
Where to register for Benazir Nashonuma program?
Nashonuma Centers have been set up at the tehsil and district headquarter hospitals (THQs and DHQs), for registration in the program visit a THQ or DHQ near you.
What benefits are provided to women and children registered in Benazir Nashonuma program?
After registration for Benazir Nashonuma program eligible women – expecting and lactating – and children – aged between 6 and 23 months – are provided with supplementary specialized food packets and trimonthly stipend.
The supplementary food packets provided to mothers – Maamta- comes in pink sachets and the supplementary food packet for children – Wawamum – comes in blue sachets.
What is the amount of quarterly stipend under the program?
The trimonthly stipend provided under the program is available in addition to the Benazir Kafalat program. The stipend rate is as follow,
| Beneficiary | Stipend Amount |
| Expecting and lactating women | 2500 |
| Boy child between 6 – 23 months | 2500 |
| Girl child between 6 – 23 months | 3000 |
When and where are supplementary food packets provided?
Supplementary food packets are provided to Benazir Nashonuma beneficiaries every three months (90 packets on 1 pack each day basis) at Nashonuma Centers.
Note: EPI vaccination cards of children aged between 6-23 months are checked upon each visit. In case the parents fail to vaccinate their child, the benefits provided to them under the program are taken away. In addition to child’s vaccination, the mothers of the child are also bound to attend awareness sessions conducted at Nashonuma Center every three months.
Where to Register Complaints regarding Benazir Nashonuma Program?
If you have any questions or complaints regarding Benazir Nashonuma Program or overall BISP, you can call BISP Helpline on 0800-26477 or go to BISP Tehsil Office near you.
You can also register your complaint online on Pakistan Citizen Portal or on the Federal Ombudsperson Office’s website.
What are the Official Channels of Benazir Income Support Program (BISP)?
The official channels of BISP where you can get authentic information regarding the program are as follow,
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