ISLAMABAD - On the third leg of Ehsaas Rashan Tour to 30 cities, Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Senator Dr Sania Nishtar covered 10 small cities and towns on Thursday around Attock, Chakwal, Mianwali and Dera Ismail Khan.

Last weekend, she visited 14 small cities and towns along the G T Road from Jhelum to Peshawar. 

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 mobilise 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 public in each of the 10 small cities and towns, Dr Sania guided them that Kiryana owners from all over the country can register themselves exclusively via online Rashan portal: ehsaasrashan.pass.gov.pk that is 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.

In the press conference held at Dera Ismail Khan, she was also joined by Ali Amin Gandapur, Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Talking to the media, she announced, “Ehsaas 8171 service is reopening tomorrow for enrolment of families under Ehsaas Rashan Registration. Premised on field insights, this is to facilitate the enrolment of deserving families with no access to internet connectivity.”

Further, she explained that families earning less than Rs 50,000 a month can register themselves under the Rashan Programme of Ehsaas. Only one member of an applicant family whose cell number is issued on his personal Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) can enrol his family either through web-portal or 8171 SMS service. A monthly subsidy of Rs1,000 will 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 travellers and government employees with salaries less than Rs31,500 can also benefit from Ehsaas Rashan Riayat.

Regarding enrolment of Kiryana merchants, it is mandatory for them to have an android cell phone and a bank account with any branch of National Bank of Pakistan (NBP). 

In addition to the subsidy amount, the authorised retailers will also get 5-8% commission every morning against their previous day transactions into their bank accounts. Based on their performance, retailers will also be able to win cars, motorcycles, mobile phones in quarterly lucky draws. 

Responding to a question, Dr Sania said that the Rashan mobile point of sale (mPOS) app will be available on Google Play Store for the use of authorised Kiryana Merchants. Retailers widely appreciated the user-friendly features of the app.

Ehsaas Rashan Riayat worth Rs120 billion would cover 20 million families. Overall, 53% population of the country including those already registered under the Ehsaas Kafalat Programme.