PROTECTING vulnerable segments of the society during a crisis like situation is certainly the responsibility of the state. The challenge posed by Covid-19 by all means is an unprecedented one never faced by the country yet it is satisfying to note that government regardless of financial constraints is making all out endeavours to mitigate its impact on poor and disadvantaged segments of the society.
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday launched another phase of Ehsaas programme under which labourers and workers who lost their jobs due to lockdown will be provided with financial assistance of Rs 12000. The way first phase of Ehsaas Emergency Cash programme for poor families is being executed is commendable, as technology has been employed to ensure complete transparency and reach out to those deserving. Now second phase of this programme is also important as closure of all sorts of businesses has rendered hundreds of thousands of people jobless and this figure could go further up if lockdown is further tightened. Hence, providing timely cash assistance to these unemployed workers and labourers is need of the hour. A couple of factors are important to ensure the success of this programme as well. Firstly, these daily wageworkers are mostly illiterate. They might have mobile phones in their hands but they mostly use them to remain in touch with their families back home. Majority of them would not have access to Internet besides they are also not fully acquainted with other functions of their gadgets.
In this backdrop, it is important that government fully activates its Tiger Force at the grass roots level to reach out those people rendered jobless by the lockdown and help them register on web portal to become eligible for cash assistance. Secondly, print and electronic media and Radio should be utilised to ensure wider dissemination of the relief programme. One of the major reasons of success of the first phase of Ehsaas Emergency Cash programme was that Special Assistant on Poverty Alleviation Sania Nishtar fully used the platform of stated owned Radio to acquaint and explain to the people especially those in far flung areas about this programme. This in fact also helped her to timely address complaints that were pouring in during disbursements of cash to deserving families. The same modus operandi should be used for relief programme for unemployed workers.
At this critical juncture, it is also important that well off people also come forward in a big manner so that government could continue to extend financial assistance to these poor families in weeks and months ahead. And with each passing week, figure of deserving families will go up. In this scenario, affluent class needs to demonstrate large heartedness and should generously contribute to PM’s Relief Fund for Covid-19. There should be no doubt on its transparency as Prime Minister Imran Khan has taken the responsibility to personally monitoring the relief fund and on Saturday also assured nation to share full details of the fund after audit. One may disagree with PM’s politics but as far as his honesty is concerned, even worst of his opponents cannot raise finger on it. Therefore, people regardless of their political affiliations must contribute to the fund, as it is a matter of life and death for our people. Resource rich countries should also extend financial assistance to countries like Pakistan so that they could provide sustenance to those in need and revive the economy from shocks of Covid-19.
Since federal government has substantially reduced petroleum prices over the last one month, responsibility rests with provincial governments to ensure that benefit of this cut reaches common man in the form of decline in prices of essential commodities. As wheat harvesting season is at its peak, it must be ensured that harvesting and threshing rates are affordable to farmers. Since latest spell of rains has badly damaged the wheat crop in different areas, we will also suggest federal and provincial governments to announce relief packages for small farmers especially focusing on cutting their input costs such as that of the fertiliser price.
