PUNJAB EHSAAS PROGRAMME ACT 2022

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THE PUNJAB EHSAAS PROGRAMME ACT 2022 
(XXXI of 2022) 
CONTENTS 
1. Short title, extent and commencement 
2. Definitions 
3. Establishment of Programme 
4. Objective and purposes of Programme 
5. Secretariat of Programme 
6. Governance and administration of Programme 
7. Powers and functions of CEO 
8. Establishment of Ehsaas Council 
9. Powers and functions of Ehsaas Council 
10. Eligible persons or families for financial assistance 
11. Disbursement procedure 
12. Fund 
13. Budget of Programme 
14.  Employees of Programme 
15.  Public servants 
16.  Indemnity 
17. Maintenance of accounts and internal control 
18.  Audit 
19.  Annual report 
20.  Redressal of grievance 
21.  Act not to prejudice other laws 
22.  Power to make rules 
23.  Power to frame regulations 
24.  Removal of difficulties 
 
  
TEXT 
1
THE PUNJAB EHSAAS PROGRAMME ACT 2022 
(XXXI of 2022) 
    [14 November 2022] 
 
An 
Act 
to provide for establishment of the Punjab Ehsaas Programme.  
It is necessary to provide for establishment of the Punjab Ehsaas Programme  
as a new umbrella social protection and poverty alleviation programme of the 
Government to develop new programmes and to reform, reorganize and consolidate 
the existing initiatives of poverty alleviation and social protection in the Punjab to 
optimize their effectiveness, efficiency and responsiveness. 
Be it enacted by Provincial Assembly of the Punjab as follows:  
1. Short title, extent and commencement .– (1) This Act may be cited as the 
Punjab Ehsaas Programme Act 2022. 
(2) This Act extends to whole of the Punjab. 
(3) This Act shall come into force at once. 
2. Definitions.– In this Act: 
(a) “Chairperson” means Chairperson of the Ehsaas Council; 
(b) “CEO” means the Chief Executive Officer of the Programme; 
(c) “Ehsaas Council” means the Executive Council of the Progra mme 
constituted under section 8 of this Act; 
(d) “Government” means Government of the Punjab; 
(e) “implementing agencies” means: 
(i) in case of the public sector, the administrative departments, 
attached departments, corporations, autonomous bodies, 
organizations or trusts notified under this Act; and  
(ii) in case of the private sector, all NGOs, trusts or development 
partners responsible for executing any poverty alleviation and 
social protection programme, including the Programme, whether 
under any relevant Federal, Prov incial or local law, or, as the 
case may be, its charter, memorandum of association or other 
constitutional or governing document, adopted voluntarily, or 
under the poverty alleviation and social protection policy 
framework of the Government; 
(f) “member” means a member of the Ehsaas Council; 
(g) “Non-Governmental Organization (NGO)” means any not -for-profit 
entity established under any law for the time being in force for the 
purpose of promoting social welfare, charity or any other useful object; 
(h) “Programme” means the Punjab Ehsaas Programme established under 
section 3 of this Act; 
 
1This Act was passed by Provincial Assembly of the Punjab on 01 November 2022; and was deemed to have been assented to 
by Governor of the Punjab in terms of Article 116(3) of the Constitution; and was published in the Punjab Gazette 
(Extraordinary), dated: 14 November 2022, pp.1989-1994. 
(i) “regulations” means the regulations framed under this Act; and 
(j) “rules” means the rules made under this Act. 
3. Establishment of Programme .– (1) There shall be a Programme  of the 
Government to be known as the Punjab Ehsaas Programme for carrying out the 
purposes of this Act. 
(2) The Programme shall be a body corporate having perpetual 
succession and a common seal with powers, subject to the provisions of this Act, to 
acquire and hold property, movable and immovable, and to sue and be sued in its 
name. 
(3) The principal office of the Programme shall be at Lahore, and 
additional offices of the Programme may be established at any other places in the 
province of the Punjab with approval of the Ehsaas Council. 
4. Objective and purposes of Programme.– The objective and purposes of the 
Programme shall be to: 
(a) develop new programmes and reform, reorganize and consolidate the 
existing initiatives involving poverty alleviation and socia l protection to 
optimize their effectiveness, efficiency and responsiveness, to promote 
the social and economic well-being of the people;  
(b) provide an integrated policy and strategy for new as well as existing 
poverty alleviation and social protection programmes in order to reduce 
gaps and eliminate overlaps, so that deserving persons are equitably 
assisted, and resources are optimally utilized for socio -economic uplift 
of the poor; 
(c) facilitate coordination, identify gaps, and induce synergy amongst 
implementing agencies with regard to new as well as existing poverty 
alleviation and social protection programmes in the context of social 
safety nets, livelihood support, and financial access to health, 
education, nutrition and allied matters;  
(d) reduce inequalities , build human capital and resilience to shocks, 
increase financial inclusion and provide care, food and shelter to the 
needy; and 
(e) employ modern technology and data analytics, develop and maintain 
databases, and invest in effective governance, to insulate p overty 
alleviation and social protection institutions from abuse and 
malpractices, misuse of discretion, and political interference, and to 
enhance efficiency, responsiveness, transparency and merit -based 
delivery. 
5. Secretariat of Programme .– The Plannin g and Development Board of the 
Government shall provide secretarial support to the Programme. 
6. Governance and administration of Programme.– (1) There shall be a CEO 
of the Programme, who shall be appointed by the Government on such terms and 
conditions as it may determine. 
(2) The CEO shall be responsible for the day to day management and 
administration of the Programme, and shall also serve as the principal accounting 
officer of the Programme. 
(3) Any specific scheme established under and pur suant to the 
Programme, or the related implementing agency designated under subsection (4), 
may have its own principal accounting officer.  
(4) The Ehsaas Council may, from time to time, by notification in the 
official Gazette, designate any implementing a gency for purposes of administering, 
managing and implementing any specific scheme established under and pursuant to 
the Programme in view of the capacity of such implementing agency as well as its 
expertise, personnel, resources, powers, functions and scope of work: 
provided that the name or title of every scheme established under and 
pursuant to the Programme shall commence with the word “Ehsaas” or shall 
otherwise have the word “Ehsaas” included therein.  
7. Powers and functions of CEO.– (1) The CEO shal l, as administrative in 
charge of the Programme, prepare its budget and ensure consistency of operations 
with the Programme policies approved by the Ehsaas Council. 
(2) The Ehsaas Council shall provide strategic guidance to the Programme 
and ensure impleme ntation of the Programme in accordance with its decisions and 
the provisions of this Act.  
(3) The CEO shall execute the decisions of the Ehsaas Council for the 
purposes of the Programme.  
(4) The CEO shall have the power to enter into an agreement, contra ct or 
memorandum of understanding with any international organization, institution, donor 
agency or other counterparty with the approval of the Ehsaas Council. 
(5) The CEO shall assist the Ehsaas Council in publicizing the Programme 
as well as raising funds. 
8. Establishment of Ehsaas Council.– (1) There shall be an Executive Council 
of the Programme to be known as the Ehsaas Council consisting of the following: 
(a) Chief Minister, Punjab; Chairperson 
(b) a person who holds at least a master’s degree 
recognized by the Higher Education Commission 
established under the Higher Education Commission 
Ordinance, 2002 (LIII of 2002) with at least five years’ 
experience in the social sector, to be nominated by 
the Chairperson; 
Vice Chairperson 
(c) Chairman, Pl anning and Development Board of the 
Government or his nominee not below the rank of an 
Additional Secretary; 
member 
(d) Additional Chief Secretary (Home) to the 
Government, Home Department or his nominee not 
below the rank of an Additional Secretary; 
member 
(e) Secretary to the Government, Social Welfare and 
Bait-ul-Maal Department or his nominee not below the 
rank of an Additional Secretary; 
member 
(f) Secretary to the Government, Zakat and Ushr  
Department or his nominee not below the rank of an 
Additional Secretary; 
member 
(g) Secretary to the Government, Labour and Human 
Resource Department or his nominee not below the 
rank of an Additional Secretary; 
member 
(h) three representatives of civil  society to be nominated 
by the Government; and 
members 
(i) the CEO. member/Secretary 
(2) In absence of the Chairperson, the Vice Chairperson of the Ehsaas  
Council shall exercise all powers of the Chairperson. 
(3) The Chairperson or in his absence, the Vice Chairperson of the Ehsaas 
Council, may co -opt any other person as a member for a specified period or for a 
specified purpose. 
(4)  The term of the member s mentioned at clause (h) of subsection (1) 
shall be three years extendable for another term of one year. 
(5) The members of the Ehsaas Council, except the CEO, shall serve in 
honorary capacity, and shall be entitled only to such facilities and privileges in the 
nature of compensatory costs as the Government may, from time to time, determine. 
(6) The Ehsaas Council shall have the powers to conduct its business and 
regulate its proceedings as it may prescribe by the regulations from time to time. 
(7) The Ehsaas Council may, through a majority decision of its members 
and subject to such conditions as it deems necessary, delegate any of its functions 
and powers to the CEO or any member.  
(8) All actions taken in the exercise of all such delegated functions and 
powers shall be submitted to the Ehsaas Council for approval in the subsequent 
Ehsaas Council meeting.  
(9)  No act or proceeding of the Ehsaas Council shall be invalid merely by 
reason of any vacancy or defect in the constitution of the Ehsaas Council.  
9. Powers and functions of Ehsaas Council.– (1) The powers and functions of 
the Ehsaas Council shall be to: 
(a) provide integrated policy guidelines for the Programme  to enable 
efficient co-ordination with the implementing agencies; 
(b) approve the budget of the Programme prepared by the CEO; 
(c) take decisions on the financial aspects of the Programme submitted by 
the CEO for consideration of the Ehsaas Council; 
(d) monitor the P rogramme in an apolitical, merit -based and transparent 
manner; 
(e) mobilize financial resources for the Programme; 
(f) direct the CEO on poverty reduction policies, enhancement of the 
Programme, and reaching out to donors through the Chairperson; and 
(g) make regulati ons and approve policies and manuals in order to carry 
out the purposes of this Act. 
(2) The Ehsaas Council shall meet at least four times in a year and a 
special meeting of the Ehsaas Council may be convened by the Chairperson or on 
the request of three m embers at any time by giving a reasonable notice of such 
meeting: 
provided that the Ehsaas Council shall meet at such time and place and in 
such manner as may be laid down by the Ehsaas Council and until such time as 
determined by the Chairperson. 
10. Eligible persons or families for financial assistance .– All individuals or 
families who fall below the poverty line as notified by the Government shall be 
eligible to receive financial assistance from the Programme. 
11. Disbursement procedure .– Funds of the Pr ogramme shall be applied 
towards providing assistance and support to eligible persons and families in cash or 
in kind or both in such manner as may be prescribed by the regulations: 
provided that all cash disbursements under the Programme shall be made 
solely through proper banking channels, into bank accounts held in the direct names 
of eligible persons and families. 
12. Fund.– (1) There shall be established a Fund to be known as Punjab Ehsaas 
Programme Fund. 
(2) The Fund shall consist of: 
(a) revolving funds or budget amount approved by the Government; 
(b) grants made by local, domestic or international bodies, organizations, 
entities and the Government;  
(c) aid given to the Government for the purpose of the Programme; 
(d) donations made by individuals or associations of persons; and 
(e) all other sums as may be received by the Programme. 
(3) The Fund shall be administered in such manner as may be prescribed 
by the regulations. 
(4) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being 
in force, donations and grants received by the Programme shall be exempt from all 
taxes. 
13. Budget of Programme.– (1) The CEO shall, in respect of each financial year, 
prepare the annual budget estimates of the Programme and submit the same to the 
Ehsaas Council for approval in accordance with such financial procedures as may be 
approved by the Ehsaas Council. 
(2) The CEO shall have full powers to incur expenditure or re -appropriate 
funds, subject to any general or specific instructions of the Ehsaas Council. 
14.  Employees of Programme.– The CEO may appoint such employees as he 
may consider necessary on such terms and conditions as may be prescribed by the 
regulations: 
provided that unt il such regulations are made to determine pay, pension and 
allowances as otherwise in vogue in the Government applicable to civil servants, the 
terms and conditions applicable to the employees immediately before the 
commencement of this Act shall continue to apply in accordance with such directions 
as the Government may, in case of its employees, issue from time to time. 
15.  Public servants.– The employees of the Programme shall be deemed to be 
public servants within the meaning of section 21 of the Pakist an Penal Code, 1860 ( 
XLV of 1860). 
16.  Indemnity.– No prosecution, suit or other legal proceedings shall lie against 
the Ehsaas Council, its members, the CEO and other employees of the Programme 
for anything done in good faith for carrying out the purpos es of this Act or rules or 
regulations or orders made or issued thereunder. 
17. Maintenance of accounts  and internal control .– (1) The Programme shall 
maintain complete and accurate books of accounts in connection with the discharge 
of its responsibilities as may be prescribed by the Auditor General of Pakistan. 
(2)  The internal audit of the Programme shall be carried through an 
independent internal audit officer who shall report directly to the Ehsaas Council, and 
the internal audit reports shall be presented to the Ehsaas Council for comments and 
follow up on the remedial actions. 
18.  Audit.– The accounts of the Programme shall be audited every year by the 
Auditor General of Pakistan in such manner as may be prescribed by him. 
19.  Annual report.– The Ehsaas Council shall approve the annual report of the 
Programme, and cause such report to be laid before Provincial Assembly of the 
Punjab. 
20.  Redressal of grievance .– Any person or family aggrieved by a decision 
involving the eligibility under the Program me may, within thirty days of the decision 
by the relevant implementing agency, prefer an appeal to the prescribed authority of 
such implementing agency in such manner as may be prescribed by the rules. 
21.  Act not to prejudice other laws .– The provisions  of this Act shall be in 
addition to and not in derogation of any other law for the time being in force. 
22.  Power to make rules.– The Government may make rules for carrying out the 
purposes of this Act. 
23.  Power to frame regulations.– (1) The Ehsaas Co uncil may frame 
regulations for carrying out the purposes of this Act. 
(2)  Without prejudice to or limiting subsection (1), the regulations shall 
provide, inter alia, for matters involving financial assistance, payment schedule, 
grievance redressal, socia l audits and operation of all schemes established and 
implemented under the Programme. 
24.  Removal of difficulties .– If any difficulty arises in giving effect to the 
provisions of this Act, the Government may make such order, not inconsistent with 
provisions of this Act or any other law regulating the implementing agencies, as is 
necessary or expedient to remove such difficulty.