Punjab Social Protection Policy has identified income insecurity among the elderly and disabled as one of the key six challenges facing Punjab. Additionally, basic income security, for older persons is among the guarantees of the social protection floor under ILO recommendation 202 (2012). Pakistan is the only exception among comparable countries, where there is no social pension scheme for the elderly. Bangladesh, India and other regional countries started such schemes, back in the 1990s. Therefore, instituting a cash transfer program for the elderly is imperative to take responsibility for the elderly by the state.
Silla-e-Funn is an unconditional cash transfer program. Punjab Social Protection Authority has bridged the gap for elderly artists who have served in related field for more than 25 years, by introducing Silla-e-Funn Program in all 36 districts of Punjab. It is providing dignified social pension for those elderly and needy artists, writers, poets and media persons of the Punjab who have made a notable contribution in their field such as Film, T.V, Literature, Poetry, Journalism, Theatre, Music, Painting, etc. PSPA is providing Rs 5,000 per month, to the artists above 50 years with monthly income below than Rs. 35,000 and having 25 years’ experience of their field under unconditional cash transfer program.
Project Goal is to improve socio-economic wellbeing of the elderly and financially vulnerable artists of the Punjab who have made a notable contribution in their field. This Program is designed with the following objectives:
- To improve the social inclusion of the poor elderly and financially vulnerable artists of the Punjab by providing them dignified social assistance
- To improve the subsistence of poor elderly and needy artists
- To reduce the economic dependency of poor elderly and needy artists on their social network