2.6 million poorest families target: Punjab government decides to begin chief minister Punjab Khidmat Programme

Punjab government has decided to introduce annual additional grant scheme of Rs 15.90 billion for 26,00,000 poor families of the province in the name of Chief Minister's Punjab Khidmat Programme and "debit cards" being issued for additional cash grant will be called "Khidmat Cards". The "debit cards" which have been issued to the poorest families by federal government under Pakistan Income Support Programme "PISP" throughout Pakistan will continue after proper scrutiny.
This was disclosed by Provincial Minister for Education Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan here while presiding over a meeting of cabinet committee for evolving mechanism of issuing Chief Minister's Punjab Khidmat Programme cards. Provincial Ministers Bilal Yaseen, Hameeda Waheeduddin, MPAs Mian Muhammad Rafiq, Dr Ayesha Ghaus, Chairman Punjab Information Technology Board Dr Omar Saif, Secretary Food Punjab Muhammad Aslam Kamboh, Secretary Information and Culture Punjab Momen Agha as well as senior officers of Pakistan Income Support Programme and Nadra attended the meeting.
Rana Mashhood said the Chief Minister's Punjab Khidmat Programme has been launched for those families who cannot purchase atta due to sky rocketing price hike. He announced that a "Case Management Cell" is being established in Food Department Punjab for providing suitable cash money every month to 26,00,000 poorest families of Punjab under "Khidmat Programme" and an officer of the rank of Director General will be appointed for this purpose. Besides, Director Operations, Case Management Specialist and Management Information System Specialist, a helpline centre will also be set up in this special cell whereas administration of every district will be asked to appoint its best district officer as a focal person for the Khidmat Programme. District Complaint Assistant and Tehsil Complaint Assistant will be appointed and supporting staff will also be provided for this purpose.
The Minister told the Chief Minister has directed that no family living below the poverty line, irrespective of their past political affiliation, should remain deprived of this additional cash grant. He said that according to poverty index survey conducted the last year, the additional cash grant of Rs 7 billion, 44 crore and 72 lakh will be given to the 12 lakh deserving families in the first phase of this programme for which the scrutiny work of all subsidy card holders under PISP will be completed next month.
It was also decided to constitute a special sub-committee regarding setting up of Safety Network Authority and evolving the procedure of health insurance for poorest families having Khidmat Cards. It was also decided to convene the meeting of cabinet committee again on October 25 (Friday) for considering the proposal of some mobile companies that if the task of distributing cash money to Khidmat Card holders be assigned to them, they will provide free mobile phones to 26,00,000 Khidmat Card holders.