With Pakistan grappling with soaring inflation rates, there is a potential move to allocate funds for subsidies on five essential food items in the upcoming fiscal year’s budget, as part of the Prime Minister’s Relief Package.
Sources reveal that the Ministry of Industries and Production has solicited proposals from utility stores for the forthcoming fiscal year. These proposals are expected to be integrated into the budget for the Prime Minister’s Relief Package, given that the current package is due to expire on June 30th.
Under the existing Prime Minister’s Relief Package, an approximate amount of Rs. 3 billion per month is being earmarked for subsidies on five crucial items. These subsidized commodities encompass sugar, flour, ghee, pulses, and rice, particularly targeting beneficiaries of the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP).
Reports indicate that the subsidized price of sugar stands at Rs. 109 per kilogram, while a 10-kilogram bag of flour is available at utility stores for BISP beneficiaries for Rs. 648. Furthermore, BISP beneficiaries can purchase ghee at Rs. 393 per kilogram from utility stores.
The potential inclusion of these subsidies in the budget underscores the government’s efforts to mitigate the economic challenges faced by the public, particularly amid the backdrop of escalating inflation rates.
