PM Imran launches support program for unemployed persons

PM Imran Khan has launched a support program for unemployed persons.

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Prime Minister Imran Khan has on Saturday launched a support program for those who have lost their livlihood due to novel coronavirus.

The premier has inaugurated a web portal in this regard. Those who have been unemployed due to the COVID-19 lockdown will be able to register themselves on the portal and receive Rs 12,000 under the Ehsaas Emergency Cash program.

Speaking at the event, Prime Minister Imran Khan assured the donations in Relief Fund for Covid-19 will be transparently disbursed amongst the deserving families affected by the coronavirus outbreak.

Read more: Must move towards Smart Lockdown: PM Imran Khan

The Prime Minister said he is personally monitoring the relief fund and its details will be shared with the public after audit.

Imran Khan said the government will contribute four rupees for each rupee donated to the relief fund. He said our aim is to reach out the maximum number of people during these testing times.

Giving details of the web portal, Imran Khan said those who have lost jobs due to lockdown can get themselves registered on the ehsaaslabour.nadra.gov.pk to get the assistance of twelve thousand rupees. He asked the volunteers and Tiger Force to help these people get them registered on the website. He said the registered people will be scrutinized and the cash assistance will be given to the qualifying ones. He said the cash assistance will be given totally on merit irrespective of the political affiliations of the recipients.

The Prime Minister said eighty-one billion rupees have been disbursed under Ehsaas Emergency Cash Program to 6.8 million poor and deserving families over a period of three weeks. He said it is first time in the country s history that such a hefty amount has been disbursed in a short span of time. He added that the program would be taken forward.

Alluding to the opening of businesses in different parts of the world including New York, the Prime Minister said we have also decided to fully open the construction industry as it will provide job opportunities especially to the labourers. He said we have given unprecedented incentives to the construction industry.

Imran Khan said the government has also endeavoured to put minimum burden on the masses amidst coronavirus. He said we have substantially reduced the prices of petroleum products which are currently the lowest in the sub-continent. He said he has directed the provincial chief secretaries to ensure that the benefit of this decline in petroleum prices is also reflected in the prices of essential commodities.

The Prime Minister once again appealed to the people to demonstrate discipline and follow precautionary measures to support government s efforts to contain the spread of the virus. He said those testing positive for the disease should quarantine themselves in their homes.

Speaking on the occasion, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection Dr. Sania Nishtar said Pakistan is the first developing country, which has given immediate relief to its citizens affected by Coronavirus pandemic.

Explaining process of registration with the web portal under Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme, she said the second phase of the programme is focused on providing relief to labour class, who have lost their jobs due to ongoing lockdown amid coronavirus pandemic.

In his remarks, Minister for Industries and Production Hammad Azhar said the government has taken concrete measures to provide relief to small businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic

He said the government s measures include reduction of the interest rate, unprecedented tax incentives for the construction sector and interest-free loan scheme for small businesses.

Hammad Azhar expressed the confidence that the government would pay the electricity bills for up to three months for small businesses whose consumption was between five to 70 kilowatts of electricity per month.