ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday inaugurated a subsidised ration scheme for low-income families who have been hit hard by growing inflation since the incumbent government took over in 2018.

“Every month, the Ehsaas Rashan Programme will disburse 30 per cent commodity subsidy to 20 million deserving families on the purchase of flour, pulses, cooking oil and ghee. The project is aimed at reducing the burden of inflation on the poor,” Mr Khan said at the event organised to mark three years of completion of the social protection programme Ehsaas and the launch of the subsidy programme.

The premier praised Ehsaas for being among the top four social protection programmes in the world as recognised by the World Bank. He said that inflation was an international phenomenon, asserting that Pakistan was still ranked among the cheapest countries. The prices of petrol and diesel in the country were lower than Dubai and other regional countries, the prime minister claimed.

Regarding International Women’s Day today, he said: “It is heartening that all cash transfers under Ehsaas are going in the hands of millions of poorest women through the digitised and rule-based system of Ehsaas. Every year, 98 per cent Ehsaas budget is spent on women. Also, education-centered Ehsaas Taleemi Wazaif offers higher stipend amount for girls to support their education across all tehsils of Pakistan.”

Published in Dawn, March 8th, 2022