The managing director (MD) Utility Stores Corporation (USC) Tuesday informed the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) that the entity is to procure Rs14 billion commodities to cater to buyers.
He stated this, while briefing the meeting of the NCOC, which held under the chairmanship of Federal Minister for Planning and Development to discuss and review the situation that has erupted following the Covid-19. The MD USC informed the meeting that due to reduced operating hours there was increase in crowding at the stores. He said the stores were facing increase in the per day demand of flour, sugar, rice and other foods. However, the corporation was in procurement mode and would procure Rs14 billion worth of commodities, he added.
The NCOC also sought presentation from the MD USC, MD National Information Technology Board (NITB) and the Minister for Industries and Production Hammad Azhar about the food stocks available at the Utility Stores across the country.
The NCOC mulled over the issues, pertaining to the Ehsaas programme, stocks available at Utility Stores, its outreach to far-flung areas, status of mobile stores, and epidemic-curve projections.
Minister for National Food and Security Fakhar Imam highlighted that Sindh had procured around 503,000 tonnes of wheat, which was 36 percent of the set target and 46 percent of its harvest.
He asked the provincial authorities to keep the ministry updated on the matter.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Dr Sania Nishtar apprised the forum that the programme had served around 5.9 million families across the country.
However, there were issues being faced in the provision of relief due to poor biometric verification of the people registered under the programme.
She said the issue could be resolved if the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) offices were opened for only verifying Ehsaas programme registered recipients of financial relief.
She also highlighted that the tax waive-off was being provided to Ehsaas PoS retailers at the federal level and provincial governments' compliance was awaited.
The provincial chief secretaries informed the forum that the tax waive-off was approved by their cabinets and would be implemented consequently.
Minister for Interior Brig (retired) Ejaz Ahmed Shah after detailed discussion agreed to open around 600 NADRA offices and 200 mobile vans only for Ehsaas programme verification. The meeting was informed that the NCOC is to launch Tracking, Testing and Quarantine strategy to encourage public to cooperate with the government in the fight against the Covid-19.
The basic aim of this strategy is based on encouraging citizens to cooperate with government agencies in tracing people with Covid-19 symptoms and travel history.
It will also inculcate confidence in the public about government's efforts and activities against the coronavirus pandemic.
The chief secretary Sindh highlighted the shortage of rice and pulses at 56 Utility Stores in various districts of the province.
The chief secretary Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa mentioned that the newly-merged districts of the province had very few Utility Stores and desperately more USC outlets were required there.
Meanwhile, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Tuesday dispatched the fourth consignment of Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs) for doctors and paramedics working in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa hospitals.
According to spokesman, as many as 126,000 surgical masks, 5,200 N-95 masks, 23,700 protective gears, 7,200 pair of gloves, 4,236 pair of shoes, 5,447 surgical caps, 2,627 face shields, 1,034 protective goggles, 5,200 sanitizer bottles, and 1,720 doctors' gowns have been dispatched. He said the NDMA was also dispatching PPEs to other provinces.
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