PM visits USC outlets to inspect Relief Package implementation

Liaquat Ali

Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday paid surprise visits to different Utility Stores across the federal capital to inspect the execution of the Prime Minister’s Ramazan Relief Package. During the visit, the prime minister interacted with the beneficiaries of the scheme and inquired whether they faced any issues while benefiting from the package.

He instructed the authorities concerned to ensure that entitled beneficiaries of the Relief Package faced no problem in availing the facility. Speaking on the occasion, the prime minister said the federal government had announced a historic Ramazan Relief Package worth of Rs 12 billion under which eatable items will be provided to the deserving families at subsidized rates during the holy month of Ramazan at the Utility Stores outlets across the country. Besides, he said under the package, additional stipend will also be given to the families registered in Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP). PM Shehbaz Sharif said under the federal government’s Ramazan Relief Package, Rs 77 per kg subsidy was being given on wheat flour while Rs 100 per kg subsidy was being offered on ghee besides a subsidy of 20-30% on other food items such as rice, pulses, sugar etc for the deserving families.

He informed that under the package, the BISP beneficiaries would get additional stipend worth Rs 10,000 each, while under Kafalat programme, thousands of families from Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan and Balochistan will get additional amount of Rs 2000 each. The prime minister said he had appointed several teams that will pay surprise visits to various USC outlets to check the availability and quality of the food items adding that strict action will be taken against those involved in selling low quality items at the stores. During his visit, he expressed satisfaction over the availability of the subsidized items at the stores in sufficient quantity. He was of the view that the blessed month of Ramazan will bring peace, prosperity and development for the country. He also thanked the ministers and all the concerned officers and departments for making this relief package possible. Federal Ministers Ishaq Dar, Rana Tanveer Hussain, Attaullah Tarar and Khawaja Muhammad Asif accompanied the prime minister.