Shehbaz Sharif hails progress and transparency of fuel relief programme
Over 15.5 million citizens have registered and Rs28.6 billion has been paid, with petrol pumps that fail to serve beneficiaries facing licence cancellation.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday expressed satisfaction with the progress and transparency of the Prime Minister's Fuel Relief Programme, the state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported.
Chairing a review meeting in Islamabad, Sharif said the technology-based subsidy initiative would significantly benefit public welfare.
He said simplified registration and subsidy disbursement procedures had increased registrations, allowing more eligible citizens to access the facility.
Sharif directed the authorities to cancel the licences of petrol pumps that fail to facilitate registered beneficiaries under the petrol subsidy scheme.
The meeting was told that more than 15.5 million citizens have registered under the programme so far, including 15.06 million motorcycle owners and 449,000 owners of vehicles with engines up to 800cc.
A total of more than 63.15 million fuel subsidy tokens have been issued, and more than 59.44 million of them have been redeemed.
Payments amounting to Rs28.6 billion have been made under the fuel subsidy scheme as of Nov. 4, the meeting was informed.
Separate call centres have been set up for consumers and petrol pumps to provide information about the programme and address complaints.
Sharif praised Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima and Secretary for IT and Telecommunication Zarar Hashim Khan and their team for building an effective monitoring mechanism and dashboard for the scheme.
Fuel subsidies are a common tool governments use to cushion households and transport users when fuel prices rise sharply.
For Pakistan, fuel costs feed directly into transport fares and the prices of goods, which is why relief schemes draw close public attention.
