LAHORE - Punjab government has decided to launch Punjab Khidmat Card programme during ongoing month.
A decision to this effect was taken at meeting presided by Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to review progress of Punjab Khidmat Card programme, here on Friday.
Under the first phase, Rs three billion would be spent to give monthly subsidy to more than 10 lakh extremely low-income families while the campaign will continue till June 2014.
Addressing the meeting, the CM said improving living standard of poor families is the duty of the state and this responsibility will be discharged with a national spirit. He said that through the Khidmat Card programme, economic burden on extremely low-income families will be reduced considerably. He said that the name of the head of the family receiving subsidy and his identity card number will be mentioned on Punjab Khidmat Card. He said that the scope of the programme will be expanded in the next financial year. The CM directed to collect the data of resource-less families benefiting from Punjab Khidmat Card in a transparent manner and said that planning should be made for running Punjab Khidmat Card programme on the pattern of Punjab Educational Endowment Fund. The CM directed the committee headed by Provincial Education Minister Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan to submit final recommendations in this regard within seven days.
Provincial Ministers Bilal Yasin, Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan, Advisor Dr Ijaz Nabi, Member Provincial Assembly Dr Ayesha Ghaus Pasha, Chief Secretary, Chairman Planning & Development, President Bank of Punjab and secretaries of concerned departments were present on the occasion.