Ramazan ration hampers distribution from 11th

LAHORE: Punjab government has decided to distribute Ramazan Ration Hampers among the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) beneficiaries with an estimated cost of over Rs15billion while distribution of these hampers would start by mid of the second week of March.

Ramazan is likely to start from March 11or 12 depending on moon sighting while the government has decided to start distribution of Ramazan Ration Hampers from March 9. Initially, Rs9 billion were allocated by the government for the Ramazan Ration Hampers programme.

According to the government officials, all the deputy commissioners (DCs) are asked to prepare the lists with the address and estimated cost of distribution of the Ramazan Ration Hampers in their respective districts. These hampers would be made by the DCs office officials by procuring all the items of the hampers including flour, sugar, rice, basien, and ghee from wholesale markets at maximum discounted rates.

The estimated cost of the one Ramzan Ration Hamper is almost above Rs 3600 but not more than 3650 and varies from district wise. According to the estimated cost, flour will be procured at Rs1,350/10kg bag, Sugar Rs140/kg, Baisen Rs 230/kg, ghee Rs 450/kg, and Rice Rs 280/kg. Each Ramazan Ration Hamper will consist of one flour bag, two kilogram each of sugar, Baisen, ghee, and ice.

The official said that the DCs informed the chief secretary in a recent meeting which took place before the oath of the Chief Minister Punjab that almost 15-20 days of time is required for the distribution of the Ramazan Ration Hampers among the BISP beneficiaries in each district of the Punjab. However, the Ramazan Ration Hampers programme was held till the inception of the new government for the political ownership of the programme.

There are 8.694 million BISP beneficiaries in Pakistan, out of which 4.141 million are enrolled in Punjab alone, while the total identified beneficiaries are 4.218 million. The other provinces, out of 2.354 million identified, 2.327 million are enrolled beneficiaries in Sindh, out of 1.614 million identified, 1.594 million enrolled in KP, out of 0.445 million identified, 0.433 million are enrolled in Balochistan, and 7080 are enrolled in Islamabad. The total number of enrolled beneficiaries of GB and AJK are 93,050, and 97,642, respectively.