Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has announced a Ramazan package amounting to Rs22.5 billion aimed at supporting 60 per cent of the population, particularly those who earn a minimum wage of between Rs32,000 to Rs35,000 per month.
The targeted families will receive Rs5000 cash each through banks. The mechanism for this will be announced within the next two days.
Meanwhile, he directed all the divisional commissioners to start a crackdown against the hoarders and profiteers from and report him.
He took these decisions while presiding over a meeting regarding the Ramazan package and other arrangements, including price control. The meeting was attended by Mayor Karachi Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary Dr Fakhre Alam, IG Police Riffat Mukhtar, Secretary Finance Kazim Jatoi, Secretary Agriculture Aijaz Shah, Secretary Food Nasir Abbas Soomro, Adl IG Karachi Khadim Rind, Commissioner Karachi Saleem Rajput, all deputy commissioners of Karachi, representatives of KE and SSGC and other concerned.
During a briefing to the chief minister, Chief Secretary Dr Fakhre Alam informed that there were 4.5 million deserving families in the province who were earning between Rs 32,000 to Rs 35,000 per month or less. The CM said that these families constituted 60 per cent of the population, and he has decided to provide them with a Ramazan package of Rs 5,000 cash each. The total subsidy amount for this initiative is expected to be Rs 22.5 billion. The chief minister mentioned that a similar package worth Rs 15.5 billion was provided during the last Ramzan.
Murad Ali Shah instructed the chief secretary to determine the number of eligible families to ensure that no one is left behind. He also directed him to talk to the banks to distribute the allocated Rs 22.5 billion.
The Chief Minister directed all the divisional commissioners to start a crackdown against the profiteers and hoarders.