August 04, 2006	Friday	Rajab 8, 1427

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LAHORE, Aug 3: The Punjab government will launch ‘Sasta ration package’ from Monday next, providing flour, pulses and sugar to one million deserving families at below-the-market price.

The cabinet, which met under Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi at his secretariat on Thursday, also approved a Rs2.33 billion subsidy for providing the deserving families with 10kg flour bag at Rs28 less than the market rate. Pulses and sugar will also be sold to them at Rs10 less than the market price. The scheme will continue for a year.

The beneficiaries who have already been identified will be issued coupons by the DCOs to enable them buy the three commodities at subsidised rates.

Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said the government had provided the subsidy for reducing the burden of high prices of essential items on the low-income people.

He said the decision to provide low cost ration was a part of the provincial government’s strategy to share its resources with poor sections of society. The government was also implementing this strategy in other sectors.

The chief minister directed the officials concerned to give coupons to the deserving families for six months instead of a monthly basis.

Earlier, the cabinet approved the Punjab Power Generation Policy 2006 that contained several incentives to encourage power production by the private sector. Under the policy, the government would also encourage power generation through solar energy, wind and coal.

The chief minister said all provinces had constitutional right to formulate power generation policies for their own benefit. The Punjab Power Generation Policy was aimed at lessening the power-related difficulties in the most populated province.

He urged investors to make maximum investment in the power generation sector. The provincial government was ready to enter into a joint venture with the private sector, he said.

The chief minister said the government would facilitate the private sector in getting decided the rate of their power with Wapda. They would also be allowed to establish their own distribution systems, he said.

Meanwhile, the cabinet gave formal approval to the construction of a hotel on The Mall, establishment of the sports city near the Ravi and Ferozepur Road’s shopping mall.

It also approved the concept of using the technique of land filling for the disposal of solid waste in all major cities.

NAZIM: Presiding over a meeting, district nazim Mian Amer said the Sasta ration package would soon be started in Lahore where 85,000 poor families would take benefit of it.

He asked all assembly members and nazims of union councils and towns in Lahore to submit lists of all deserving families in their respective areas by Aug 6 so that their final list could be issued the next day.