Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Ishaq Dar chaired the meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet today, where participants approved an amount of Rs. 985.43 million for the Prime Minister’s free Atta scheme during Ramadan.
Federal Minister for Industries and Production Makhdoom Syed Murtaza Mehmood, Coordinator to the PM on Economy Bilal Azhar Kayani, Federal Secretaries, and other senior officers attended the meeting.
The ECC considered a summary of the Ministry of Industries and Production on the provision of free Atta under the Prime Minister’s Gift Atta initiative during Ramadan and approved an amount of Rs. 985.43 million spent by the Utility Stores Corporation (USC) under the Prime Minister’s free Atta scheme during Ramzan in the last financial year 2022-23. The scheme was launched on 18th March 2023 and continued till 16th April 2023.
As no separate funds were allocated for the supply of free/gift Atta bags at USC outlets, the amount spent for this initiative was adjusted from Rs. 2,186.72 million allocated for the distribution of subsidized Atta under Ramzan Relief Package-2023 by Utility Stores Corporation.
Ramzan Relief Package 2023 for the sale of 19 items at subsidized rates by USC was approved by ECC in its meeting dated 1st March 2023 and ratified by the Federal Cabinet in its meeting dated 9th March 2023 Accordingly, an amount of Rs. 4,997.20 million was released by Finance Division to USC under the head of IB-3228-Subsidies to Utility Stores Corporation on 17th March 2023.
As per minutes of the meeting chaired by the Prime Minister on 13th March 2023, free Atta was to be distributed to 185,984 families of Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) registered as BISP beneficiaries under PMT-60.
Subsequently, Managing Director USC vide U.O. No. 04/RRP/2023/01 dated 4th April 2023 and 6th April 2023 conveyed the decision to provide three (3) bags of 10 kg Atta to the BISP verified beneficiary registered under PMT-60 (both Islamabad Capital Territory and rest of Pakistan). Those who have already been provided with a 10 kg free/gift Atta bag will be provided with the remaining two bags.
Those not already verified by BISP will be verified from NADRA and one bag of 10 kg Atta will be provided initially to each family and the number of bags may be increased if required subsequently.
In view of the above, Managing Director, USC proposed to seek approval of the ECC for the amount of Rs. 985.43 million already spent by the USC under Prime Minister’s Gift/Free Atta Scheme during Ramzan 2023 out of the amount of Rs. 2,186.72 million previously approved by ECC and ratified by Cabinet for the supply of Atta at subsidized rate at USC during Ramzan 2023.
The ECC today approved the above-mentioned funds for disbursement.