Govt to provide 35pc Ehsaas Rashan subsidy to Sindh, Balochistan

ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection Dr Sania Nishtar said the federal government was fully committed to providing 35 per cent share of subsidy in Sindh and Balochistan.

“In Sindh and Balochistan, the federal share of subsidy worth Rs 350 will be granted for each eligible family if both the provincial governments do not participate in the Ehsaas Rashan Riayat,” she said.

“Provincial governments of Punjab, KP, Gilgit Baltistan and AJK are already participating in the programme. We are reaching out to provincial governments of Sindh and Balochistan to engage them in the Ehsaas Rashan programme”, said Senator Dr. Sania Nishtar.

In the current fiscal year, the budget of the programme for the next six months is Rs. 120 billion under the federal-provincial cost sharing arrangement.

The federal government and all participating federating units will share fiscal resources in the proportion of 35/65.

How to register?

For online registration of low-income families and Kiryana owners, the Ehsaas Rashan portal has been opened on Nov 9. The Ehsaas Rashan portal can be accessed online at:https://ehsaasrashan.pass.gov.pk/.

Families with monthly income less than Rs. 50,000 will be eligible for the Rashan registration.

Ehsaas and the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) have built a mobile Point of Sale (mPOS) system/App that will deliver the targeted subsidy to beneficiaries through a network of Kiryana stores designated by NBP countrywide.

Under Ehsaas Rashan Riayat, a targeted subsidy of Rs. 1,000 a month will be granted to each to each of the 20 million eligible families on the purchase of flour, pulses, cooking oil.

Accordingly, 30% subsidy will be given on these three items, per unit purchase.

In total, 20 million deserving families will be identified through the Ehsaas survey. Overall, 130 million people will benefit nationwide that equates to 53% of the population.