By NNN-APP
Islamabad : President Pervez Musharraf launched the ‘Bachat Card’ Scheme aimed at providing essential food items at affordable rates to 6.8 million low-income households.
“It is the obligation of the State to help those who do not have enough means and we will ensure that everyone is able to get food at affordable rates,” the President said at the launch of the scheme at a Utility Store at Karachi Company Friday.
The President, along with Prime Minister Mohammadmian Soomro distributed the cards among the deserving people.
“We will absorb an amount of Rs 3 billion monthly – Rs 36 billion annually on the subsidy,” the President said and added that the five items will be made available at around 42 percent lesser rates than the market – 25 per cent less than prices at USC.
The President said efforts were being made to counter the global inflationary trends by increasing salaries of government employees and raising the minimum wages. He said the salaries will be further enhanced this year.
He said maximum members of a family need to take up jobs to increase their income.
The President said “Utility Store bachat card” will provide relief on five basic food commodities including wheat flour (atta), ghee and oil, sugar, rice and dal channa through 4500 Utility Stores outlets.
Under the scheme the people having the cards will get flour at Rs 9 per kilo and sugar at Rs 15 per kilo.
He said the number of stores will increase to 6000 by March 31, and those areas not having the stores will be covered by Mobile Utility Stores.
The President was informed that after completion of all the three phases, the target of 6.8 million families would be achieved for those who cannot afford to buy essential food items.
Initially this scheme will be launched in Islamabad and subsequently expanded to other parts of country covering 2 million poor families registered with the Bait-ul-Mal. Later 2.4 million households registered with Ministry of Zakat and another 1.8 million poor families would be covered in the third phase of the scheme.
The President directed the Utility Stores Corporation to expand its network to the remote parts of the country swiftly so that the problems of the people are eased.
He said the ambit of the scheme will later include pensioners, senior citizens with low income, widows, unemployed illiterates and government employees of BPS 1 to 5.
President Musharraf was also apprised of a joint venture of the Utility Stores Corporation with a private firm for supply of clean drinking water at a rate of Rs 3 per litre against Rs 22 per litre in the market.
Those with the Bachat Card will get five litres of water free with their purchase.
He also directed the concerned departments to coordinate and work closely to add new deserving families to the existing database having meager income level.
Caretaker Prime Minister Mohammadmian Soomro said with increased coverage the system will further improve and more people will be added to the database.
Caretaker Minister for Industries Salman Tasker said the project was made a success in a short span of time and will go a long way in helping the people in getting basic food items at affordable rates.