ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday kicked off the government’s “koi bhooka na soye (no one must sleep hungry)” programme under which mobile food vans will roam major cities to distribute freshly cooked food to daily-wage workers.

The programme falls under the larger Ehsaas umbrella. “The biggest beneficiaries of this programme will be the daily wagers, ones who dwell in big cities to earn and send some money back home,” explained the official PTI Twitter account.

It said that such people often live in deplorable conditions and after the establishment of “Panahgahs” which offer shelter, these meals on wheels will be another step for their wellbeing.

Addressing the launch ceremony, the prime minister said that the establishment of Panahgahs is aimed at facilitating labourers and working class, Geo News reported. “The government’s efforts are geared at providing the under-privileged section of society dignity,” he said.

He congratulated the Ehsaas programme and Baitul Maal administration for the successful launch of the service under which free meal boxes will be distributed twice a day through mobile trucks at various points of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

The prime minister said that the government must continue to set high standards for serving the poor and so quality of food must continually be monitored and remain consistent. He termed the launch of the programme the foundation of a welfare state.

Imran Khan said the food trucks will go to areas frequented by the poor and labourers in specific. He said that many philanthropic individuals have already expressed interest in providing financial assistance to the programme. The premier also said that the government will provide 30 million families direct subsidies.

The prime minister said through the direct subsidy programme, to be carried out under the umbrella of Ehsaas, subsidy amounts would be directly credited to the accounts of poor people enabling them to buy basic food items like wheat flour, sugar, ghee, pulses etc.

The government, he added, would also bring a similar direct subsidy programme for the farmers to help them in getting fertilisers and other agricultural inputs on subsidised rates. The prime minister said with 70 percent of work already completed for the direct subsidy programme, progress on the remaining 30 percent was underway.

PM Khan said that through the subsidy programme, to be carried out under the umbrella of Ehsaas, amounts would be directly credited to the accounts of poor people, enabling them to buy basic items like wheat flour, sugar, ghee, pulses, etc.

He said the government would launch a similar programme for farmers to help them get fertiliser and other agricultural inputs on subsidised rates.

The prime minister said that with 70 per cent of work already completed on the direct subsidy programme, progress on the remaining 30pc was under way.

He appreciated Ehsaas and Baitul Mal teams for the successful launch of the programme and said the provision of free meal would help the poor, deserving, labourers and daily-wagers save their hard-earned money to fulfil the needs of their children and families.

The prime minister directed the officials concerned to particularly take care of the self-respect of poor people benefiting from the government-sponsored facilities of Panahgahs (shelter homes), Langars (free meals) and Kio Bhuka Na Soye. He said the mobile trucks or vans carrying food should especially visit the localities of the poor and labourers to ensure that free meals reached the deserving people.

Mr Khan said the programme was initially being launched in Rawalpindi and Islamabad so that the government could learn about the issues and problems and improve the programme before its extension to other cities. He said it was his dream to extend the ‘Koi Bhuka Na Soye’ programme to the whole country and “Insha Allah we will do it”.

Mr Khan said a large number of philanthropists in the country desired to participate in such programmes and he believed that the success of pilot project in the twin cities would help win their trust in contributing to its extension across Pakistan. He also mentioned with pride his government’s health card scheme in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan, under which each family is entitled to medical treatment worth Rs1 million from any public or private hospital.

The prime minister, during a briefing on the occasion, was informed that after extensive deliberations on different avenues, Pakistan Baitul Mal (PBM) had initiated a ‘Meals on Wheels’ programme to tackle the extended demands of Panahgahs.

#pmik #pakistanzindabad #goyalivetv #pakistan #2021 imrankhan #imrrankhanpti #goyatv #pti

свернуть