Ramadan relief package to start on March 5

ISLAMABAD: The Utility Stores will start giving subsidies worth Rs7.49 billion on 19 items under the Ramzan Relief Package from tomorrow (March 5), ARY News reported on Monday.

At least 20 million people registered with Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) whose score on poverty index is PMT-60 or less will be able benefit from the relief package.

Authorities urged the deserving families not registered with BISP to contact the nearest offices of BISP for enrolment purposes.

The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet had approved Ramzan Relief Package consisting of 19 items for the Utility Stores Corporation, budgeted at Rs7.49 billion.

The 19 essential items included flour, sugar, pulses – dal channa, dal masoor and dal moong washed, white gram, Rice Basmati, Rice Selia, Broken Rice, Oil, Baisen (Chakki), dates, beverages/carbonated drinks, squashes & syrups, black tea, milk, and spices.

The consumers would get a subsidy of Rs25 on oil, Rs25 on dal channa, Rs25 on white gram, Rs50 on Baisen, Rs50 on dates, Rs25 on Rice Basmati, Rs25 on Rice Selia, Rs100 on tea and Rs30 on tetra pack milk.

The consumers, registered with BISP, can get 20-kilo flour per month, five-kilo sugar, five-kilo ghee, three-kilo rice, and pulses.

In addition to the targeted subsidy, special discounts will also be offered for general consumers.

Notably, the federal government allocated Rs35 billion in the budget for the financial year 2023-24 for subsidy on essential items for implementation of the Prime Minister’s Relief Package 2023-2024 and Ramazan Relief Package 2024 through the USC.