Reference a news item published in the media about immediate relief for the needy families announced by federal Minister for Finance Syed Naveed Qamar. Mr Qamar has announced a subsidy of Rs. 1000 to every needy family. I wish to divert the attention of decision makers to the increased prices of items of daily use. The value of Rs 1000 for each family (which can consists of on average around six persons) is negligible. I would like to request him to calculate the number of persons per family, number of days in a month, increased food prices and divide all of this with Rs. 1000 grant. This meagre amount would go wasted if this project is approved and implemented. If the government is really interested in addressing the poverty issue, it will have to take some other concrete measures. The minister should coordinate with micro-finance institutions working in Pakistan to address poverty by giving micro-loans to a few million people, giving them proper education start their own business, which can employ tens of millions of others. -NADIA HUSSAIN, Islamabad, via e-mail, May 31.