Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division, Dr. Sania Nishtar, announced on Thursday that Ehsaas 8171 service was reopening on Friday for enrollment of families under Ehsaas Rashan Registration.
Speaking to media persons during her visit to various cities and towns on the third leg of the Ehsaas Rashan Tour to 30 Cities, she said the service was aimed to facilitate the enrollment of deserving families with no access to internet connectivity.”
According to a press release, Dr. Sania Nishtar visited 10 small cities and towns around Attock, Chakwal, Mianwali, and Dera Ismail Khan. She had visited 14 small cities and towns along the G.T. Road from Jhelum to Peshawar the last weekend.
During the visit to Fateh Jhang, Talagang, Lawa, Moosa Khel, Purani Kiri, Mianwali, Kundiyan, Saidaliyan, Rangpur Adda, and Dera Ismail Khan, Dr. Sania was joined by senior officials of National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), Ehsaas, and district administrations.
“Part of Ehsaas Communications Strategy, these visits are aimed to mobilize people and local information resources on the ground for raising awareness on the Ehsaas Rashan registration campaign,” said Dr. Sania.
Speaking to retailers, trader associations, and the public in each of the 10 small cities and towns, Dr. Sania guided them that Kiryana owners [retialers] from all over the country could register themselves exclusively via the online Rashan portal: ehsaasrashan.pass.gov.pk that was open for registration till next two weeks.
Dr. Sania also convened two press conferences on Ehsaas Rashan Riayat with the local press and electronic media in Mianwali and Dera Ismail Khan.
She explained that families earning less than Rs. 50,000 a month could register themselves under the Rashan program of Ehsaas. Only one member of an applicant’s family whose cell number is issued on his personal Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) can enroll his family either through web-portal or 8171 SMS service, she explained. She added that a monthly subsidy of Rs. 1,000 would be granted to every eligible family on the purchase of flour, cooking oil, and pulses.
Recently, the federal cabinet has also approved the criteria that deserving families of foreign travelers and government employees with salaries less than Rs. 31,500 can also benefit from Ehsaas Rashan Riayat.
Regarding enrollment of Kiryana merchants, it is mandatory for them to have an android cell phone and a bank account with any branch of NBP. In addition to the subsidy amount, the authorized retailers will also get 5-8% commission every morning against their previous day’s transactions into their bank accounts. Based on their performance, retailers will also be able to win cars, motorcycles, mobile phones in quarterly lucky draws.
To a question, Dr. Sania said the Rashan mobile Point of Sale (mPOS) app would be available on Google Play Store for the use of authorized Kiryana merchants.
Ehsaas Rashan Riayat worth Rs. 120 billion would cover 20 million families — an overall 53% population of the country including those already registered under the Ehsaas Kafaalat program.
Source: Pro Pakistani