Ehsaas Rashan 30 City Tour: Sania Nishtar creates awareness on Ehsaas Rashan Riayat Registration in Lahore

LAHORE, Nov 25 (SABAH): Senator Dr. Sania Nishtar, SAPM on Poverty Alleviation visited Lahore on Thursday to create awareness on Ehsaas Rashan Riayat registration. The visit was part of Ehsaas Rashan 30 City Tour. 25 cities have been covered, so far.

Making an appeal to enroll more and more deserving families and Kiryana shopkeepers for Ehsaas Rashan, Dr. Sania sat with local media and Parliamentarians of Punjab in Lahore. She was also joined by Arif Usmani, President, National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), Syed Yawar Abbas Bukhari, Minister for Social Welfare and Bait ul Maal Punjab, senior officials of NBP and Ehsaas.

While in Lahore, Dr. Sania also called on Chief Minister Punjab, Sardar Usman Ahmed Khan Buzdar. The meeting discussed federal-provincial collaborations under Ehsaas Rashan Riayat. Government of Punjab is fully participating in the Ehsaas Rashan Riayat programme. Governments of KP, GB and AJK are also participating. Under the federal-provincial cost sharing arrangement, the budget of the Rashan programme for the next six months is Rs. 120 billion in this fiscal year. The federal government and all participating federating units are contributing financial resources in the ratio of 35/65.

Dr. Sania Nishtar convened a press conference on Ehsaas Rashan Riayat in Lahore at 90, Shahrah-e-Quaid-e-Azam. Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Information and Special Initiatives, Hasaan Khawar; Minister for Social Welfare and Bait- ul-Maal Punjab, Syed Yawar Abbas Bukhari; and President NBP, Arif Usmani were also present.

Speaking to media, Dr. Sania explained that families with monthly income less than Rs. 50,000 can register through 8171 service. Only one member from each family whose cell phone SIM is issued on his own CNIC can register his/her family by sending CNIC number to 8171. However, Kiryana shopkeepers can merely register through the web-portal: https://ehsaasrashan.pass.gov.pk/. Followed by the press conference, Dr. Sania held a briefing with the Provincial Ministers and Parliamentarians of Punjab. Interacting with Parliamentarians, she highlighted that it is mandatory for both families and Kiryana shopkeepers to have mobile SIMs issued on their own CNICs to register for the programme. Kiryana shopkeepers also need to have their bank accounts with NBP.

Guiding media and Provincial Parliamentarians, Dr. Sania also showed an instructional video on the Ehsaas Rashan featuring details of the programme registration and execution. A subsidy of Rs. 1,000 per month will be given on flour, ghee/cooking oil and pulses to each of the eligible 20 million families. The government will also provide subsidy amount and a 5-8% commission to Kiryana shopkeepers directly in the bank accounts. Lucky draws will also be held every quarter through which prizes like mobile phones, motorcycles or cash prizes would be given to Kiryana merchants.

The visit concluded with the visit to a local Kiryana store. Dr. Sania visited a Kiryana store in main Shadman market Lahore to register it under the Ehsaas Rashan programme.