PESHAWAR: The provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has decided in principles to launch Food Card Programme in the upcoming annual budget.

Under the proposed Food Card Programme, it is initially proposed to provide free of cost wheat flour or provision of four basic food items at subsidised rates to the deserving households. Approximately one million households and over 5.00 million individuals will benefit from the Programme.

The decision was taken during a meeting held here Thursday with Chief Minister Mahmood Khan in the chair.

Special Assistant to CM on Information Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, Additional Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, Secretary Finance Ikramullah Khan and Secretary Food Mushtaq Ahmad and other relevant officials of food department attended the meeting.

On this occasion, the chief minister directed the quarters concerned to take necessary steps to finalise the proposed Food Card Programme till the budget of new fiscal year.

The meeting was briefed in detail about the preliminary sketch and features of the proposed Food Card Programme, registration of deserving households, estimated cost, implementation mechanism and other various aspects of the programme.

The meeting also reviewed the various proposals for providing basic food items to deserving households on subsidised rates under the proposed programme.

The chief minister has directed the quarters concerned to submit workable proposals for approval to this effect. He also directed the food department to finalise the list of deserving households for the purpose.

Talking on the occasion, the chief minister said that he was fully aware of the problems of people due to current inflation in the country adding that incumbent government was taking solid steps to curtail the burden of inflation on general public.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022