Inflicting severe damage to socioeconomic sectors including agriculture, economy and food supply chain, the coronavirus pandemic has perished over 5.29 million people worldwide and caused substantial inflation and price hike in regional and international markets affected common man.
Wreaking havoc in nearly 210 countries with over 269 million confirmed cases, the coronavirus had adversely affected South Asian countries where it killed about 474,000 people in India, 28,812 in Pakistan, 28,016 in Bangladesh and 7,321 in Afghanistan till December 10, 2021.
The pandemic has widened the demand-supply gaps of agriculture and non-agriculture products due to disruption of food supply chain owing to travel restrictions, thus causing an increase in inflation and price-hike in open markets.
On supply side, coronavirus has halted the smooth flow of food supply chain in domestic, regional and international markets by creating a substantial shortage of agriculture produces and essential services of life due to travel restrictions and lockdowns.
As a result, the demands of daily used commodities and imported goods including wheat, ghee, cooking oil, pulses, gas, and petroleum products have increased manifolds.
These unprecedented regional and international circumstances made negative impact on production and distribution of the agriculture and non-agriculture products in world including Pakistan.
To ebb away inflation and price hike in Pakistan, Prime Minister Imran Khan had rolled out the biggest ever “social protection program (SPP)’ of the country in Peshawar under which poor people are being provided massive subsidy on food commodities, homes finance, interest free loans for starting businesses, vocational and technical training to youth, farmers and health insurance for every citizen of Pakistan.
Under SPP, Ehsas Ration Riayat Program worth Rs120 billion has been started nationwide providing financial relief to 20 million deserving families, covering overall 130 million people, thus benefiting 53 percent population of Pakistan.
Ehsas Program official told APP that the beneficiaries have started getting flour, pulses and ghee or cooking oil on 30 percent discount rate from registered kiryana stores.
A subsidy of Rs1,000 per month is granted to each of the eligible family on purchase of flour, pulses, ghee/cooking oil.
All families having less than Rs 50,000 per month income are eligible to register themselves through 8171.
Only one member of an applicant family whose cell number was issued on his personal CNIC can enroll his/her family through 8171 service while kiryna stores through Ehsas web portal.
A digitally enabled mobile point of sale system (mPOS)/app has been developed through collaboration of National Bank of Pakistan to serve the beneficiaries through a network of Kiryana stores all over the country.
The Government is incentivizing the Kiryna merchants by giving them attractive commission (5-8%) on the Ehsas subsidy amount to encourage them to benefit more and more people.
Based on performance, there will also be a lucky draw for Kiryana merchants giving away cars, motorcycles, mobile phones and various other prizes every quarter.
Ration Riayat Program’s budget for the next six months is Rs120 billion under which 35 percent fund would be provided by Federal Government and 65 by the federating units.
So far, the Government of Punjab, KP, Gilgit Baltistan, Azad Kashmir are participating in the landmark program.
