$7 Million US Aid Likely for Ehsaas Program
By Amin Ahmed
Islamabad: The US government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), will contribute $7 million to the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) ongoing support for the Ehsaas program to address the secondary effects of Covid-19 in Pakistan.
USAID Mission Director Julie Koenen and ADB Country Director Yong Ye attended a signing ceremony held in this regard on Thursday.
The ADB will use $7m to provide cash grants to Pakistani families in need of financial assistance due to the pandemic, a US embassy press release said.
The grants will be distributed through the Ehsaas Emergency Cash Program managed by the Benazir Income Support Program. USAID’s funds will also provide technical and administrative support to ensure effectiveness, accountability and transparency for the program beneficiaries.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ms Koenen said that fighting the pandemic would take significant resources and an urgent, collective effort by governments, civil society, the private sector, philanthropists, multilateral organizations and other international partners.
“This contribution to ADB will support the government of Pakistan’s efforts to implement the Ehsaas Program through the provision of direct cash grants to underprivileged Pakistani families affected by closures and work stoppages during the Covid-19 pandemic,” she added. Dawn
