Staff Reporter Islamabad
Managing Director USC, Umer Lodhi Thursday announced that subsidy at Utility stores would continue and beneficiaries registered under Ehsaas program would now get ‘targeted subsidies’ on essential Kitchen items at all Utility stores from July end.
Federal government has initially completed its trial for targeted subsidies program for Ehsaas beneficiaries through IT integration between Ehsaas and Utility Stores Corporation of Pakistan (USC) which would be functional soon, he said while speaking to a private news channel.
The Ehsaas cards will enable the holders to purchase basic consumer items like wheat flour, pulses, rice, sugar, ghee/edible oil at subsidized rates, he added.
USC with the collaboration of Ehsaas emergency program was identifying all genuine and deserving people for targeted subsidy program, MD said.
He said Ehsaas has been working with USC to integrate their IT systems with those of state-run USC so that they can identify Ehsaas beneficiaries, deserving people along with Ehsaas card would visit USC stores and get subsidize rate kitchen items.
He said with the installation of hardware at all countrywide USC stores would be completed soon, adding, targeted subsidies will be given on selected essential commodities. Targeted subsidization is more beneficial for pro-poor economic welfare.
Using the Ehsaas data, this new system will improve the efficiency of subsidy delivery mechanism for better results, he added.
