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Up to 200 units of consumption: PM Shehbaz announces Rs50bn power subsidy for 25mn households

  • Says time has come for 'elite to make sacrifices'
Published July 9, 2024
LIVE: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addresses media along with other federal ministers

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced on Tuesday a Rs50-billion energy subsidy package for low-income households that consume less than 200 units of electricity.

“For the next three months – July, August and September – their bills will be Rs4 to Rs7 per unit,” he said.

“Around 92% of the domestic consumers will benefit from the package,” the PM added.

The premier had earlier mentioned this number to be 94%, but later in the press conference used the figure of 92%.

“An amount of Rs50 billion will be spent on this package, which will be deducted from the PSDP fund. The consumers of K-Electric will also be included in this.”

Earlier, Business Recorder, citing its sources, had reported that the government is likely to further cut the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2024-25 to increase subsidy for the protected categories of domestic consumers due to massive overbilling across the country.

“This will be another cut in the PSDP 2024-25 after the Rs250 billion cut in the total PSDP of Rs1.4 trillion meant to create fiscal space to give relief to the most affected people without compromising the deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF),” the report from Business Recorder added.

PM Shehbaz, sitting alongside deputy prime minister and foreign minister Ishaq Dar as well as defence minister Khawaja Asif, said it is time for the “elite to sacrifice”.

“The package will help alleviate issues of the common man.”

Comments

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KU Jul 09, 2024 04:19pm
Rs. 50 or Rs.100 billion subsidy, all of it will go in pockets of the barons. Problem is SOE's heist, inflation n no signs of economic recovery. Greed has made them blind to reality/destruction.
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mustafa Jul 09, 2024 05:39pm
there should be no subsidy ... 20-30 saal peele 40-50% country was without bijli ... so better is to go for load shedding
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mustafa Jul 09, 2024 05:41pm
@KU, read facts. huge subsidy had been enjoyed by lower class since 1947. that's we went from 30 million to 250 million .poor people (who produce 3 or more children) damaged this country the most .
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Usman Jul 09, 2024 07:09pm
@KU, it wont as this will be deducted from the bills.so you can keep you negativity to bani gala.Its a good news for the common man and poor public.Next should be pension reforms of high ranking babus
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zh Jul 09, 2024 07:43pm
What an absurd solution! What happens after three months.
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T Jul 09, 2024 08:55pm
the sharifs don't consider themselves elite.
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Ali Asghar Jul 20, 2024 02:15pm
I have received the K-electric bill for the month of July-2024 for consumption of 125 units (Protected customer) and i have not received any relief in my bill. They have charged me the same.
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