The relief package will benefit more than 12 million families through digital payments
PM unveils Rs38b Ramadan relief package. PHOTO: RADIO PAKISTAN
ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday unveiled a relief package worth Rs 38 billion for the upcoming holy month of Ramazan, which will benefit more than 12 million families through digital payments.
Addressing the ceremony, the Prime Minister said that the old distribution system had been abolished last year as the items given to deserving families under this system were of low quality and people had to wait in queues, compromising their self-respect.
He said with the introduction of a digital system, direct cash payments were made to deserving families under a new cashless mechanism last year.
The Prime Minister added that a third-party audit of the Rs20b allocated to the relief package the previous year found the distribution mechanism to be highly transparent and free from corruption.
The Prime Minister said that the package based on the experience of previous years would be distributed with renewed commitment and improvement this year. He added that each deserving family would now receive an increased amount of Rs13,000.
He said a total of Rs38b would be distributed through wallets and digital banking across all four provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, involving significant efforts in terms of scale and implementation.
Read: Ramazan is likely to begin on February 19: Suparco
On this occasion, Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Security Syed Imran Ahmad Shah said that Rs 10 billion had also been allocated to those who are already benefiting from the scheme.
He said digital banking and a cashless economy had not only improved transparency but also saved public time and preserved their dignity.
Benazir’s Income Support Program Secretary Aamer Ali Ahmad said it would be a historic relief package as the government would roll out a comprehensive package based on compassion and empathy in keeping with the spirit of the holy month.
A total of Rs38b had been earmarked for the relief package that benefited more than 12 million families and helped around 36 million people, he added.
He said that the State Bank of Pakistan had also issued a framework for the distribution of the package and added that a helpline (9999), mobile app and portal had been introduced for support.
