The Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has announced Ramazan package with subsidy of Rs 2.5 billion for the low income people of the province. The Chief Minister on Thursday presided over a high level meeting regarding "Ramazan Package and Subsidy issues" held at Chief Minister House.
The meeting was attended by Sindh Finance Minister, Syed Murad Ali Shah, Sindh Food Minister, Mir Nadir Ali Khan Magsi, Chief Secretary Sindh, Raja Muhammad Abbas, Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Syed Sohail Akbar Shah, D.I.G. Police Sindh, Iqbal Mehmood, Secretary Food Sindh, Aftab Memon, Secretary Agriculture, Aijaz Ali Khan, Special Secretary Finance and other officers of Food department. The meeting reviewed the overall situation of assistance to poor people and decided to give "Ramazan Package and Subsidy" of Rs 2.5 billion, and for the purpose 200,000 metric tons of wheat will be supplied by Sindh Food Department and the same will be grinded and 10kg Atta bags will be provided to poor of the poorest people of the province.
The meeting also formed a committee comprising of Food, Agriculture and Finance departments which will finalise the distribution arrangements of Package Atta in the nook and corners of the province. Chief Minister Sindh directed that the distribution of the Atta be ensured on transparent manners, so that he poor people could be benefited from package.
The Chief Minister emphasised the need to make proper and prompt measures for distribution of package item to the poor people during the holy month of Ramazan. Earlier, Sindh Secretary for Food, Aftab Ahmed Memon in his briefing informed that the Government of Sindh fixed a national target of 1300 million metric tons wheat procurement, while the Sindh Food department achieved the 99 percent assigned target and has procured 1291 million metric tons wheat. It was informed that during the year 2011, 1,291,145 metric tons of wheat against the target of 1,300,000 was achieved.
Highlighting the Ramazan package of 2009, 2010, and 2011, the Secretary Food informed that during the year 2011, the Chief Minister Sindh had allowed 245,000 metric tons wheat for Ramazan package and flour rate was fixed Rs 21.00 per kg in 10 and 20 kgs packing, while the issue price was fixed Rs 1750 per 100 kg bag (without cost of bag) instead of Rs 2550 per 100 kg bag.
The Secretary Food department informed that the Government of Sindh earlier allocated 100,000 metric tons wheat in the year 2009; 2,20,000 metric tons wheat in the year 2010 and 245,000 metric tons wheat in the year 2011. The meeting was presented various proposals with regard to Ramazan Package 2012 and Chief Minister Sindh approved Ramazan package of Rs 2.5 billion for which flour will be provided at the rate of Rs 23 per kg and Food department will provide 200,000 metric tons, while the issue price will be Rs 1875 per bag.
The meeting decided that under Ramazan package, 90,000 metric tons wheat will be distributed in Karachi Region, 35,000 metric tons in Hyderabad Region, 45000 metric tons in Sukkur, 15000 metric tons in Mirpurkhas while 15000 metric tons will be distributed in Larkana Region. The distribution plan will be finalised within 5-days ie up to the July 10, 2012.-PR