Prices of petrol & diesel in Pakistan are lower when compared with Dubai & other countries of the sub-continent: PM Imran Khan
ISLAMABAD ( ABRAR MUSTAFA )
Prime Minister Imran Khan has reiterated the commitment to make Pakistan a truly welfare state on the pattern of State of Madina.
He was speaking at the inauguration ceremony of Ehsaas Riayat Rashan Program in Islamabad on Monday. At the event, PM was joined by Senator Dr. Sania Nishtar, SAPM, Senator Syed Shibli Faraz, Federal Minister for Science and Technology, Syed Fakhar Imam, Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, and country heads of international development partners. Senator Faisal Javed moderated the event.
Prime Minister Imran Khan assured to uplift and extend more support to the deprived segments of the society with increase in tax collection.
As regards Ehsaas Riayat Rashan Program, the Prime Minister said it is aimed at reducing the burden of inflation on the weak segments. He said under this program, two million deserving families will be provided with monthly thirty percent subsidy on the purchase of wheat flour, pulses and cooking oil.
Imran Khan said price hike is an international phenomenon. He however said Pakistan is still ranked amongst one of the cheapest countries in the world. He said prices of petrol and diesel in Pakistan are lower when compared with Dubai and other countries of the sub-continent.
Referring to various initiatives of Ehsaas program, the Prime Minister pointed out that ninety eight percent of disbursements are going into the hands of women in order to economically empower them. He said the stipend and scholarships being provided under Ehsaas are also higher for the girls than the boys.
The Prime Minister said that the network of Ehsaas Nashonuma will be spread to the district level in order to address the issue of stunting in children.
Imran Khan said the disbursements made under Ehsaas emergency cash program helped protect the vulnerable families in the wake of Covid-19.
Regarding International Women’s Day tomorrow, PM expressed, “It is heartening that all cash transfers under Ehsaas are going in the hands of millions of poorest women through the digitized and rule-based system of Ehsaas. Every year, 98% Ehsaas budget is spent on women. Also, education centered Ehsaas Taleemi Wazaif offers higher stipend amount for girls to support their education across all Tehsils of Pakistan.” He also announced the nationwide scale up of anti-stunting programme, Ehsaas Nashonuma. “We are opening 160 Nashonuma Centers this year in all districts”, he added.
Reflecting on the programme progress, Dr. Sania said, “Through Ehsaas, we are reaching out to 14 different disadvantaged groups particularly women and girls. We have institutionalized integrity frameworks, and data and technology driven systems to ensure transparency. In three years, Ehsaas provided cash to half the country’s population. Despite COVID-19, we have accomplished Ehsaas survey which is South Asia’s first digital census of national scale.” This was due to these foundations, she highlighted, that Ehsaas delivered all projects faster than private sector in just three years. Today, 71 billion Ehsaas Kafaalat cash disbursements are also being mobilized nationwide.”
Dr. Sania Nishtar said the first phase of registration for Ehsaas Riayat Rashan Program has been completed and messages are being sent to 9.2 million deserving families in a phased manner to avail the targeted subsidy through four thousand utility stores. She said the registration of retail stores is also continuing so that the deserving families could avail the targeted subsidy through them.
Alongside PM, beneficiaries of Ehsaas Taleemi Wazaif, Ehsaas Kafaalat, Ehsaas Nashonuma and Ehsaas Rashan Riayat, Ehsaas Amdan, Ehsaas Interest Free Loan and Ehsaas Tahafuz were also present in the ceremony. Girl recipients of Ehsaas Taleemi Wazaif and Ehsaas Undergraduate Scholarship also shared their transformational stories with the Prime Minister. PM also gave away cheques among women beneficiaries of Ehsaas.