LAHORE     -    Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Ela­hi on Sunday launched Punjab Ehsaas Ra­tion Programme worth Rs100 billion to pro­vide edibles to deserv­ing families at 40 per cent subsidised rate. 

The CM initiated the subsidy programme from the Bismillah Gen­eral Store in the Shad­man Market which got itself registered under the Ehsas Ration Subsi­dy Programme.

The chairperson of Punjab Ehsaas Pro­gramme Senator Dr Sania Nishtar, former Federal Minister Moo­nis Elahi, Adviser Omar Sarfaraz Cheema also accompanied him.

The chief minister was given a detailed brief­ing about the subsidies on edibles by Dr Sania Nishtar and apprised him about the compo­nents of the programme. 

Later, while talking to the media persons on the oc­casion, Parvez Elahi said that 8 million deserving families will get flour, pulses, cooking oil and ghee at 40 percent subsi­dised rate from the registered karyana stores. He said more edibles can be included in this programme. 

“Ehsas Ration Programme is the vision of our leader Imran Khan, and we will extend its scope to every street and town”, he said while terming provision of edibles at 40 reduced rates a huge subsidy for the poor seg­ments of society. He said the flood affectees of three flood-af­fected districts have also been registered in this programme. “The flood affectees will get a great benefit under the Pun­jab Ehsas Ration Subsidy Pro­gramme”, he added. 

“Eighty thousand people have given their response with re­gard to this programme in one hour and thousands of families got themselves registered un­der this programme”, he said, adding that the registration process will continue for two weeks. The CM paid tribute to Dr Sania Nishtar for working day and night to make the Ra­tion Programme a success. He stated that initially the Punjab government had allocated Rs 100 billion for this programme and if needed the amount will further be increased. Parvez Elahi said that Ehsas Pro­gramme had been acknowl­edged across the world. 

Replying to a question, the CM said the federal government was doing a useless work of making small cases against PTI leadership. “The Model Town tragedy case is absolutely legit­imate and Rana Sanaullah will be awarded life imprisonment in this case. Rana Sanaullah only clamours and will be caught in such a manner that he will not be able to escape from it”. 

Pervez Elahi told the media that he did 22 years of politics with the PML-N and knew them very closely. “These people only know how to make false cases in which they failed earlier and are facing failure even now”. 

The CM said that they only made tall claims of public ser­vice, but they were not capable of delivering. He said they did not do anything for the poor peo­ple. “If anyone is nabbed then the other people of this gang will im­mediately flee”, he said. 

Replying to a question, he said that he did not have any con­tact with Zardari for quite some time. He stated that no matter how many cases can be framed against Imran Khan, they will themselves feel disappoint­ed and ashamed. “Nothing will come out of the cases institut­ed against Imran Khan”. He said that the federal government was only expert in making false cases but had nothing to offer to the people. “Even if the federal government takes away all the officers even then Punjab will continue to run and is running excellently even now”. He said he knew how to run a province.

He said that River Ravi Ur­ban Development Project was PTI’ flagship programme and the government will not spare those who illegally grabbed the RUDA land. “The old land grab­bers will be taken to task and the Punjab government’s land being grabbed by the land grab­bers will be retrieved. The land mafia will be sternly dealt with and will be taken to their logical end”. Dr Sania Nishtar said that the enrolment process of the deserving and low income fami­lies had been launched in all the districts of Punjab. She said the registration process had been made very simple so that the people do not face any difficul­ty or hurdle adding that the reg­istration process will continue for two weeks. “The interesting head of the low-income family can send their CNIC number on the toll-free number- 8123. Reg­istration can also be done on the web portal of Ehsas Punjab and availability of android phone with the deserving persons is not essential. They can get themselves registered by send­ing an SMS”, she elaborated. 

Chief Secretary Abdullah Sumbal, Commissioner La­hore Division, Secretary In­formation, Secretary P&D and officials concerned were also present on the occasion.