Payment method used for Ramadan Relief Package be replicated in other govt schemes: PM Shehbaz
ISLAMABAD, April 04 (SABAH): Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has directed that the payment method used for Ramadan Relief Package be replicated in other government schemes.
PM Shehbaz Sharif was chairing a reviewing meeting regarding Ramadan Relief Package in Islamabad on Friday.
The Prime Minister highlighted that for the first time, a digital wallet was introduced for the Ramadan Relief Package, enabling a transparent and easy process for distributing funds to the deserving families.
The prime minister stated that the package was introduced nationwide, including Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and also appreciated the State Bank of Pakistan, the Benazir Income Support Programme, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, the National Database and Registration Authority, and other supporting institutions for ensuring transparency in the process.
He told the participants of the meeting that complaints received during the execution of the Package would be considered for future planning.
During the briefing on the Package’s implementation, it was told that 79% of the funds had been delivered to the beneficiaries. A total of 2,224 employees were deployed, and urgent steps were taken to resolve a total of 1,273 complaints received.
It was told that banks and other partnering institutions made 6.2 million robocalls, 178,700 outbound calls, and sent 6.1 million SMS messages to raise awareness about the facility. Besides, the National Telecom Corporation’s call center handled 126,839 outbound and 158,551 inbound calls to guide people about the Package.
Besides, 1.9 million digital payments were made, and 951,191 digital wallets were used, which was an important step towards the realisation of the Digital Nation Pakistan vision.
The participants were told that 823,653 women and 2,541 persons with disabilities also used digital wallets to receive funds.
Moreover, a comprehensive awareness campaign on the Ramadan Package was conducted through electronic, print, and social media.
The meeting was attended by Federal Ministers Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhry, Rana Tanveer Hussain, Ahad Khan Cheema, Ataullah Tarar Advocate, and Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Special Assistant to PM Haroon Akhtar Khan, State Bank Governor Jameel Ahmad, relevant government officials, and representatives from relevant private companies.