Karachi: The Sindh government has released details of the subsidy after petroleum products became expensive.
A meeting was held under the chairmanship of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah to implement the targeted subsidy program of Rs 1.72 billion, in which provincial ministers Sharjeel Inam Memon, Mukesh Kumar Chawla, Muhammad Bakhsh Khan Mehar, Chief Secretary Asif Haider Shah, Principal Secretary Agha Wasif and secretaries of the concerned departments participated.
It was informed in the meeting that the procedure, system and practical strategy have been decided for the implementation of the subsidy program. On this occasion, the Chief Minister stressed on keeping public transport fares affordable and ensuring uninterrupted functioning of the province’s transit system.
He said that this measure has been introduced to reduce the impact of the additional prices of petrol and diesel. Fuel prices have increased significantly in recent weeks, which has raised fears of an increase in fares and a decrease in the use of public transport.
Murad Ali Shah said that to deal with this situation, the government has introduced ‘Targeted People’s Fuel Differential Subsidy’, through which the difference between pre-crisis and current prices will be bridged. He termed the general subsidy as ineffective and financially unsustainable.
It was informed in the meeting that under the subsidy package, monthly financial assistance will be provided to transport operators on the condition of not increasing fares, under which buses, minibuses and coaches will be given a subsidy of up to Rs 240,000 per vehicle per month.
Similarly, wagons and pick-ups will be provided with Rs 50,000 to Rs 100,000 per month, while small freight trucks will be given Rs 70,000 and large trucks will be given Rs 80,000 per month.
In addition, the subsidy for inter-district transport has been divided into different levels according to the length of the route. Long-distance buses will be given a monthly subsidy of up to Rs 10,080,000 to maintain fare stability across the province.
Along with this, as a public relief, the government will provide Rs 2,000 in cash to every registered motorcycle owner in the month of April. The Chief Minister Sindh said that this subsidy will benefit millions of citizens who use motorcycles for daily travel.
He said that to ensure transparency and prevent corruption, the subsidy will be paid through a digital app-based system. This app will be linked to the database of the Excise and Transport Department. After verification of the vehicle’s registration, fitness and ownership, the money will be transferred directly to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries.
The Chief Minister directed the Transport Department to extend the working hours of offices for registration for the next 15 days. The subsidy program of Rs 1.72 billion per month will support the transport system that provides convenience to about 57 million passengers.
Murad Ali Shah said that the subsidy will keep fares stable and discourage the increase in the use of private vehicles. The relief will be delivered to the public in a transparent and timely manner. The targeted strategy will ensure the protection of both passengers and the transport sector in difficult circumstances