Benazir Smart Card to benefit people living below poverty line: FM
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MULTAN, Nov 21 (APP): Foreign
Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Saturday that government is going
to issue Benazir Smart Cards to benefit people living below the poverty line in
the country.While addressing public meetings in different parts of NA-148
constituency, the FM said that holders of Benazir Smart Card will be entitled to
avail facilities under health insurance, life insurance and education free of
cost.
Announcing Sui gas facility for
village Riazabad of UC Loother and Rs 26.7 million worth of development schemes
for UC Abbaspur, Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that PPP has a vision of development
and was moving forward positively in the right direction for uplift of
infrastructure and providing relief to poverty ridden people under government’s
revolutionary initiative of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) that is
benefitting Lakhs of poor families across the country.
The development schemes for UC
Abbaspur included 24 village electrification schemes, metal road from Chah Bagh
to Chah Monjiwala, bridge over Sujanpur canal and soaling schemes in 20
villages.
FM said that government was
also extending financial assistance worth Rs 300,000 to many families every
month through a draw under BISP to help them sustain life with honour.
“We are moving forward with the
mission of serving the people. Our thinking is positive and hands are clean.”
FM said that last one and half
years performance of the government was evident from its people-friendly
policies which were being pursued vigorously.
He said that Prime Minister
Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has ordered ministry concerned to withdraw the
notification regarding recent raise in tubewell power tariff from Rs 4 to Rs
6.45 per unit. He said he had pointed out in a cabinet meeting that tariff was
raised without informing the government and had recommended it should remain at
previous level of Rs 4 per unit to provide relief to farming community.
He said that problems of paddy
growers would be resolved within next few days adding that cabinet has enhanced
the paddy procurement target upto one million ton and practical steps were being
taken for speedy procurement.
FM pointed out that Kerry-Lugar
Bill was a triumph of successful foreign policy of the government under which
Pakistan will get over Rs 1200 billion during next five years. FM said that it
was not a loan but aid that will be spent on poverty eradication, education,
health, clean drinking water facilities and other welfare oriented initiatives.
FM recalled that last year
growers got handsome price of wheat. He added that cotton growers were also
getting Rs 2200 per maund of Phutti (seed cotton) because world cotton
production is expected to record six per cent reduction and three per cent
increase in consumption this year as compared to last year.
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