Ramzan package: Rs2.5 million subsidy announced for the holy month

Food dept officials inform that the govt has already procured 1.29 million tons of wheat.

KARACHI:

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah approved an overall subsidy of Rs2.5 million for the Ramazan package and subsidy.

He was presiding over a meeting at the Chief Minister House and also reviewed the overall situation of assistance to the poor. It was decided that 0.2 million metric tons of flour will be distributed among the people.

A committee was also formed for finalising the distribution of the packaged flour and comprises food, agriculture and finance departments.

The meeting decided that under the Ramazan package, 90,000 metric tons of wheat will be distributed in Karachi region, 35,000 in Hyderabad region, 45,000 in Sukkur, 15,000 in Mirpurkhas while 15,000 metric tons will be distributed in the Larkana region. The distribution plan will be finalised till July 10.

Earlier in the meeting, Sindh’s food secretary, Aftab Ahmed Memon, informed the chief minister in his briefing that the government had procured 1.29 million metric tons of wheat out of the target of 1.3 million metric tons.

In 2011, a subsidy of Rs2.25 million had been obtained and 2.45 million metric tons of wheat were allocated for the Ramzan package and the rate of flour was Rs21 per kilogramme. The price of 100 kilogramme was fixed at Rs1,750, instead of Rs2,550.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 7^th, 2012.