Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed that the new subsidy system for the weaker sections of the society be finalized at the earliest so that it could be formally launched next month.

He said his government was committed to providing financial resources to help the weaker segments of the society to purchase their basic commodities through targeted subsidy.

The prime minister was presiding over a briefing held on the new subsidy system.

Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin, other top bureaucrats and National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) President Arif Usmani and other officials were present.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation Sania Nishtar briefed the prime minister about the proposed targeted commodity subsidies program called Ehsaas (feeling).

She said 92 percent of the Ehsaas Survey had been completed and the remaining work would be finalized by the end of this month.

The NBP president also informed the meeting about the salient features of the proposed system.

The meeting was told that the targeted subsidy system was aimed at providing financial assistance to millions of families to help them buy essential items, Dawn reported.

Appreciating the efforts of the relevant authorities in devising the system, the prime minister said the provision of government subsidy to the rich and poor alike was not only a wastage of public resources but was tantamount to usurping the right of the poor.

Terming the newly-presented federal budget “development-oriented”, Imran Khan has said his government would stress economic progress to improve the common man’s condition.

“I am satisfied because Pakistan’s economy is not only stable but is moving in the right direction,” the prime minister said.

Imran Khan said at a time when Covid 19 had hit the world economies hard, Pakistan was able to achieve economic stability by pursuing a successful strategy.

“This development-oriented budget is not only aimed at further strengthening the economy but also promoting important sectors like agriculture, industry and housing,” he added.

The prime minister directed the party spokespersons to create awareness among the people about all aspects of the budget to foil the designs of those elements which were bent upon creating misunderstandings.

(SAM)