Low-income families asked to register for ration
SAPM Dr Sania Nishtar interacts with school girls who are the recipients of Ehsaas Primary Education Stipends in Talagang. PHOTO: APP
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection Dr Sania Nishtar has urged low-income groups to apply online for the Ehsaas Rashan Programme to get edible items at grocery stores at subsidised rates.
During a visit to grocery stores in Hassanabdal and Kamra to create awareness of the Ehsaas Rashan Programme on Sunday, she said that families with low income could submit their applications online at the Ehsaas portal to get themselves registered for the special offer.
Dr Nishtar said that families must ensure that the mobile SIM card must be registered in the name of the same person who was applying for the ration. She said that people would be informed about their eligibly for the ration discount via SMS on 8171.
After registration, they will get an SMS from 8171 and in the light of that SMS, they can go to any grocery store to buy essential commodities.
Dr Nishtar said that store owners will also be registered with the same URL along with their bank account number and if any store owner did not have a bank account, he can open an account in the National Bank of Pakistan. She said that 40 million people have applied for the Ehsaas ration programme and of them, one million have been registered.
She said that those who were not registered with the programme can visit NADRA centres where special desks have been installed for the registration. She said that people should not believe in fake calls and SMS and should only follow the instructions received via 8171.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 15th, 2021.