Benazir Income Support
Programme (BISP)
1. Background
Benazir Income Support Program
Benazir Income Support Program is a nation-wide unconditional cash transfer
program distributing Rs. 1000 per family per month (1/5 of the avg. income of
the population below the cut-off) to the female head of the family.
Introduced in response to the triple F (Financial, Fuel and Food) crisis and in
response to economic reforms (removal of indirect subsidies).
Objectives
Design a safety net system based on objective targeting based on Poverty Score
Cards
Maintain household consumption of the poor
Women Empowerment
Central registry for Social Safety Net.
2.Primary Research Questions
- What is the effect of cash transfer on the
household consumption /expenditures? - What is the effect of cash transfer on
women empowerment? - What is the effect of cash transfer on
nutrition?
3.Outcome Indicators
- -Household food expenditure/consumption
-Household expenditure/consumption on
education (School fee, uniform and books)
-Household expenditure/consumption on health
(Doctor and medicine) - Percentage of money on household expenditure
spent as per female’s decision? - Household’s improved nutrition (number of
meals per day, protein intake per week, amount
of calorie intake)
4.Identification Strategy/Method
- Rollout of the program done by district (no sufficient staggered rollout within district)
- Randomized Assignment of the program at district level is NOT feasible as the
national rollout strategy will be determined by 5 firms outsourced for PSC data
collection.
Proposed Methods: combination of quasi-experimental
1. DD + Regression Discontinuity at the household level within treated districts
Limitations:
o. Detects local effect around the cutoff (little external validity)
o. Does not capture spillover effects (if they are important)
2. DD + Matching at community level or hh level (compare one eligible hh in
treated district vs. Eligible hh in control district). Need to collect data in both T and C
districts.
Complemetary analysis:
Qualitative methods (focus group, interviews) in 15 pilot districts to learn on use of
benefits, to generate hypothesis on potential outcomes, to understand operational
bottlenecks as in payment systems, to learn on beneficiaries’ perceptions on the
program, to ultimately inform baseline questionnaire design
5.Sample and data
Evaluation will not involve 15 pilot districts, Leyah and 27 districts in
Baluchistan if/ where implementation of the program will be completed or
underway by the time of the baseline survey.
Evaluation will most likely exclude 7 districts for security reasons
Analysis will be conducted in 79 (129-15-1-27-7) districts
Sampling:
Selection of treatment and control districts (around 20) will be
consistent with planned rollout of program
such as T and C are balanced on observable characteristics that affect
outcomes.
Use Pakistan Living Standards Measurement Survey (2005-06) for power
calculations to determine sample size.
Communities/villages are primary sample units
Sampling:
Selection of treatment and control districts (around 20) will be
consistent with planned rollout of program
such as T and C are balanced on observable characteristics that affect
outcomes.
Use Pakistan Living Standards Measurement Survey (2005-06) for power
calculations to determine sample size.
Communities/villages are primary sample units
Data Collection Plan:
baseline household survey will be completed before the PSC roll-out in
selected T districts to avoid “announcement effect”.
The follow-up survey will be a panel conducted 6-8 months after the
baseline and before program is implemented in C districts.
6.Time Frame/Work Plan
Qualitative Survey in 15 pilot districts – April, May 2010
Questionnaire Design, Field Work Prep, Sampling – May, June 2010
BISP Cash Transfer in 50 districts – June 2010
Baseline Data Collection – July, August 2010
Data Analysis and Baseline Report – Sept, Oct 2010
Follow-up Survey – Feb 2011
Impact Evaluation Analysis – April, May 2011
7.Sources of Financing
World Bank Technical Assistance to BISP
on Social Safety Net (SSN TA)
