PESHAWAR: The provincial food department on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding with the Bank of Khyber to launch Insaf Food Card scheme.

The provincial cabinet had approved the food subsidy scheme in its meeting on Tuesday.

The MOU signing ceremony was held with Chief Minister Mahmood Khan as the chief guest. Cabinet members Atif Khan, Shakeel Khan, Fazal Shakoor, Malik Shah Mohammad Wazir, Taj Mohammad Tarand, Mian Khaliqur Rahman, Riaz Khan, Arif Ahmadzai, Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif and senior food department and BOK officials attended the signing ceremony.

A statement issued after the meeting said under the scheme cash would be provided to people having an income of less than Rs25,000 per month for purchasing essential food items.

Initially, one million deserving households would be provided Rs2,100 per month which would cost Rs25 billion annually.

Under the agreement, the bank will open accounts for eligible households to provide them specifically-designed Insaf Food Cards.

The amount would be transferred through mobile companies to wallet accounts of deserving people in the areas where BOK branches are not available.

Speaking on this occasion, Mahmood Khan said after the Sehat Card Plus Scheme, Food Card was another historic and pro-poor project of the PTI government.

He said the provincial government had fulfilled yet another commitment made to the people.

He said financial support would be extended to one million low-income households initially at a cost of Rs25 billion annually. He said the scheme would be initiated formally by July 1 this year. He termed the scheme important to support the vulnerable segments of the society.

The chief minister also promised to utilise all available resources to give relief to the poor people.

Published in Dawn, May 19th, 2022