ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) programme launched by the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) in its previous government has 2.5 million beneficiaries across the country.
Talking to newsmen in Islamabad‚ he said fifty percent beneficiaries are very poor people.
The Finance Minister said the Federal and Punjab Governments have allocated three billion rupees each in the current financial year for the programme to help the people living under poverty line.
He said the government sought IMF programme to pay back installments of loans already taken by the previous government.
Earlier‚ inaugurating a two-day Microfinance summit 2013‚ Finance Minister said reducing poverty is one of the key objectives of the government’s economic agenda.
Ishaq Dar said the government will initiate more funds for the youth and unemployed people through income support programme.
Deputy Governor State Bank of Pakistan Ashraf Mahmood Wathra‚ Chief Executive Officer of Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund Qazi Azmat Isa and Chairman Pakistan Microfinance Network Dr. Rashid Bajwa on the occasion highlighted importance of Microfinance funding for poverty alleviation.
