ISLAMABAD: A total of 19 million applicants have registered for the 'Ehsaas Ration Riyat Programme', Dr. Sania Nishtar, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation and Social Security, revealed on Thursday.
Dr. Sania was presiding over the Steering Committee meeting of 'Ehsaas Ration Riyat Programme' in Poverty Alleviation and Social Security Division (PASSD). The Steering Committee has been reconstituted to oversee the roll out of Ehsaas Ration Riyat through PASSD and National Bank of Pakistan (NBP).
Speaking on the occasion, he said that Ehsaas National Socio-Economic Registry is being used to target the beneficiary families. Upon ratification of the Steering Committee, applicants' data is currently being analyzed with Ehsaas Data Analytics to determine eligibility. Data analytics are hardwired into the program design to increase the accuracy of targeting for the country's first targeted subsidy program.
He then continued, the nationwide rollout of 'Ehsaas Riyat' is in partnership with the National Bank of Pakistan. The meeting began with a briefing on the design and roll out progress of the 'Realize Concession'.
The Steering Committee discussed and decided on beneficiary targeting decisions in line with federal cabinet guidance to support deserving families through the ration program. Ehsaas 8171 SMS registration service has been closed on 26th January, 2022 at 12 midnight for families to register for 'Ehsaas Ration'.
Families with a monthly income of less than Rs 50,000 are eligible for the ration programme. Allowing maximum number of families to be benefited, the committee included government servants with a salary of less than Rs 31,500 per month, passport holders traveling abroad and persons with an average monthly phone bill of more than Re 1. To endorse the norms approved earlier by the Cabinet. ,000 In addition, the beneficiaries who have availed the executive center services of NADRA were also approved by the Steering Committee as the principle was attached to the criteria for foreign travel, which had already been approved by the cabinet.
A Project Management Unit (PMU) has also been set up within the Division headed by a Steering Committee. PMU will provide project financial management, monitoring and evaluation, and policy oversight.
Under the chairmanship of Dr. Sania, Additional Secretary Pasd, Additional Secretary Finance, Chief Secretary Punjab, Chief Secretary KP, Chief Secretary AJK, Secretary Finance Balochistan, Secretary Industries Punjab, Secretary Social Welfare KP MD Utility Stores attended the meeting with the group. Head Digital Banking NBP, DG Social Protection Authority Punjab, DG Technology Ehsaas and DG Ehsaas National Socio-Economic Registry.
On the other hand, in collaboration with NBP, the participating provinces (Punjab, KP, GB, AJK) and district administration, the registration of grocery retailers for realized ration allowance is going on across the country.
After scrutiny, the families declared eligible will be able to avail the subsidy of Rs. 1000 per month to purchase flour, cooking oil/ghee and pulses from NBP's network of grocery retail outlets and utility stores.