ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Dr Sania Nishtar Thursday announced that a web portal to register families under the new initiative of Ehsaas Rashan Programme will open from Monday (Nov 8).

Addressing a joint presser with Spokesman Ministry of Finance Muzzammil Aslam, Nishtar said this programme will benefit 20 million families and overall 130 million people nationwide including those already registered under the Kafaalat program.

The beneficiaries will be identified with the help of the new Ehsaas National Socio Economic Registry (NSER) survey, she said.

This process would be completed and the list of eligible people for availing this benefit will be displayed within three or four weeks. The provision of subsidy would start within three to four weeks after the completion of registration process, she said.

Those who want to get benefit from this program must have their registered mobile numbers with their Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC), she said. The Kiryana (grocery) merchants will require downloading the relevant app on their android phones, enter CNIC numbers of the customers and pass on the benefits after authentication from back end immediately, she said.

The customer will receive a verification code which would be entered by Kiryana merchants in the app. Such system has been developed to prevent corruption and abuse, she said.

The Kiryana merchants having a valid bank account to receive the subsidy amount from any corner of the country will be eligible to register under this programme after physical verification.

Dr Sania said that the government will also give profit to the registered merchants on the subsidy amount to encourage them serve maximum people. The registered buyers will be able to purchase Rashan from the designated Kiryana (grocery) or utility stores on 30 per cent subsidy after issuance of Rashan cards to them, Nishtar added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021