PM Shehbaz Sharif said that Government has recently decided that subsidy on crucial items to continue, specifically, wheat flour, sugar, ghee/edible oil, pulses and rice, for the next financial year.
The decision was taken in a high-level meeting concerning Utility Stores in the country, with PM Shehbaz Sharif in chair. Minister for Finance, Miftah Ismail with Minister for Industries and Production, Murtaza Mahmood, and other senior officials were also in attendance.
The participants of the meeting were briefed in detail about the provision of targeted subsidies to the lesser privileged segments of society.
The participants were also briefed about increasing the network of Utility Stores across the country and progress on providing cheaper wheat flour in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under the vision of PM Shahbaz Sharif.
During the meeting, the prime minister approved Subsidy on crucial items to continue and the expansion of the network of Utility Stores and expressed concerns over the shortage of Utility Stores in Karachi.
“Less number of utility stores in Karachi are not acceptable in any way,” said the PM, adding that, “a comprehensive plan for raising the number of Utility Stores should be presented within two weeks.”
Later, in a tweet, PM Shahbaz said that he had directed the authorities to revamp and expand the Utility Stores network across the country, and that the ministries of Finance, Industries and Poverty Alleviation will jointly work on reforming the system.
PM Shahbaz further said, “We are working toward a transparent, efficient and digital system where various subsidies will be brought under one umbrella.”
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