PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has said that provincial government is planning to launch a ration card scheme on the analogy of Sehat card scheme to provide free ration to the vulnerable segments of society.

Under the ration card scheme, monthly ration will be provided to deserving and needy families at their doorsteps, according to a statement issued here on Sunday.

The chief minister said that the initiative would prove to be a milestone to materialise Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision of a welfare state.

He expressed these views while talking to a delegation of women members of provincial assembly who called on him and discussed with him matters related to public welfare initiatives of the provincial government and issues faced by womenfolk across the province.

Mahmood Khan says scheme will materialise PM’s vision of welfare state

The delegation was led by the chairperson of Women Parliamentary Caucus, MPA Sumaira Shams.

Talking to the delegation, the chief minister said that the people-friendly government always thought about the poor people and took practical steps for their welfare.

The women members of the assembly apprised the chief minister of the public issues in their respective areas.

The chief minister assured them that steps would be taken on priority basis to resolve all their legitimate issues.

He said that a special meeting of parliamentary party would be convened soon after the upcoming Eid to devise a strategy to resolve all those issues.

He also issued directives to the officials of the departments concerned on the spot for resolving some of the urgent public issues identified by the women MPAs.

The chief minister said that role of women MPAs was of vital importance for resolving public issues. He assured them that they would be taken on board at every level.

He said that government was working on a comprehensive plan to strengthen the health service delivery system on sound footings. He added that work was underway to set up major hospitals in all the four regions of the province under public-private partnership.

The chief minister said that with the establishment of such hospitals, quality healthcare facilities would be available to the people of the province at local level and burden of patients on the tertiary care hospitals would be reduced.

He said that work was underway on a project worth Rs9 billion for revamping all district headquarters hospitals of the province. He added that the project would be completed in next two years.

The chief minister said that despite difficult financial situation due to the prevailing coronavirus pandemic, the government would not compromise on public welfare schemes in next year’s budget.

He added that maximum possible relief would be provided to the poor segments of society in the budget.

He urged upon the women MPAs to play their role in creating awareness among people about the implementation of coronavirus SOPs in their respective areas.

Published in Dawn, May 3rd, 2021