ISLAMABAD, Sep 20 (APP):Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said on Sunday that over 2.2 million people have so far signed up for the Prime Minister's Special Fuel Scheme, highlighting its successful rollout across the country, including Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. Addressing a news conference here, he said 92 per cent of those registered are users of bikes, Qingqis and rickshaws. Around 1.9 million tokens have …
Over 2.2 million registrations highlight successful rollout of PM’s fuel scheme: Atta Tarar
ISLAMABAD, Sep 20 (APP):Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said on Sunday that over 2.2 million people have so far signed up for the Prime Minister’s Special Fuel Scheme, highlighting its successful rollout across the country, including Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Addressing a news conference here, he said 92 per cent of those registered are users of bikes, Qingqis and rickshaws.
Around 1.9 million tokens have been issued so far under the targeted fuel subsidy, of which 1.8 million are for bikes, rickshaws and Qingqis, while 152,000 have gone to 800cc cars.
The minister noted that the whole world is witnessing a rise in petrol and diesel prices due to global tensions, and Pakistan is no exception. However, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif brought the relevant departments and institutions on board and issued timely directives to design a scheme that would benefit the common and poor man.
The scheme, he said, is the result of the prime minister’s planning, engagement and close supervision with all stakeholders.
On the Prime Minister’s instructions, the Ministry of IT developed a digital dashboard to support the scheme, with a proper IT mechanism on the backend generating tokens for eligible applicants, he said, adding the scheme’s successful implementation across the country reflects the Prime Minister’s vision for public welfare.
He said public and media feedback has also shaped the scheme as the prime minister, at their request, relaxed eligibility for those bikes, Qingqis and rickshaws that were registered after 2006. SMS charges for registration have also been waived on public request, and the earlier condition limiting subsidised fuel to five liters per token per week for two and three wheelers have likewise been relaxed.
Every eligible person nationwide can now benefit from the scheme, he noted.
The minister expressed gratitude, on the Prime Minister’s behalf, to the provincial governments including those of Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan for their role in implementing the scheme.
Under the current terms, bike, Qingqis and rickshaw users can avail the token once a week and four times a month to receive Rs 500 in relief each time. Owners of 800cc cars get a relief of Rs 100 per liter on 10 liters of petrol every 10 days, amounting to 30 liters a month across three tokens. With this relief, the minister said, petrol prices for the common man effectively return to pre-war levels.
The registration process, he added, is user-friendly and is being widely promoted through media and social media. A smartphone is not required as anyone with a basic phone can register via a simple SMS code.
He said vehicle ownership is not a prerequisite as a person only needs to know the vehicle’s registration date and number to register. Some 500,000 people registered just the day before the press conference, he added.
The scheme is available at every petrol pump run by all oil marketing companies, with banners displayed at every fuel station and local administrations monitoring implementation in their respective areas, he said, adding through OGRA, petrol pumps are being issued instructions, while a dedicated war room set up in the Ministry of IT ensures a real-time flow of information, including mapping of how many tokens are redeemed at each petrol station daily.
The war room operates around the clock, addressing issues as they arise, he noted.
The minister said that while some may view the scheme as overly ambitious, it is, by the grace of Almighty Allah, being implemented successfully nationwide. The prime minister is taking regular updates from all relevant stakeholders, and the minister urged citizens to share feedback and make full use of the scheme.
He described the initiative as unprecedented, one that could become a global case study in supporting deserving citizens.
Responding to calls for a blanket subsidy, he clarified that the scheme is designed to benefit deserving people instead of the owners of large vehicles.
He said designing and implementing the scheme has been a herculean task. He thanked print, electronic and social media, as well as broadcasting associations, for their support, calling it a historic initiative of the prime minister.
Having worked with the Prime Minister for a long time, he said, he has seen him consistently develop creative initiatives, citing the successful model used to counter the dengue outbreak as an earlier example.
To a query, the minister noted that the Islamabad High Court has clearly ruled out any disruption to public life through protests, and that it is the government’s and administration’s duty to ensure this. No armed group, he said, will be allowed to enter Islamabad, and the government is clear on this position.
He said awareness efforts around registration have been highly successful, and that a meeting held that day with stakeholders had directed them to ensure banners are put up even in far-flung areas. Where no redemptions are recorded at a given petrol pump, he warned, necessary action will be taken.
To another query, he noted that the Prime Minister’s entourage for the UNGA session has been reduced in line with austerity measures.
