KP govt to issue Insaf Food Cards

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has approved the launching of the Insaf Food Card Scheme in the province under which every deserving household will receive Rs 2100/- cash assistance per month.

A provincial cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Tuesday approved the scheme, said a press release. The chief secretary, senior member board of revenue, administrative secretaries and other officials attended the meeting.

Briefing media persons about the cabinet decisions, Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Information and Public Relations Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif said a huge sum of Rs 25.92 billion would be spent under this scheme, which would benefit five million people.

The selection of deserving persons for the card scheme will be made while using the already available authentic data of Ehsaas Programme.

The special assistant said an agreement would be signed with the Bank of Khyber for the issuance of Insaf Food Card on the pattern of ATM Card, which will be effective from the upcoming financial year.

The cabinet approved enhancing the quantity of wheat procurement from 1.2 million metric tons to 1.4 million metric tons to ensure a smooth supply of wheat to the flour mills. Barrister Saif said the KP government was open to avail all options for the procurement of wheat -- Punjab, Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation and Trade Corporation of Pakistan -- to ensure the availability of wheat flour to the consumers, adding the province had sufficient resources to cater to the needs of the staple food.