ISLAMABAD: The federal government will launch Rs6 billion subsidy programme in the first week of January to provide essential food items, including flour, rice, edible oil and pulses etc to the people through Utility Store Corporation (USC) at affordable prices.



The decision was take in a cabinet meeting on the last day of 2019, chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan, which discussed in detail the priorities for the new year. The minister also dilated on the achievements of the government despite various challenges faced in the outgoing year.



Briefing the media about the cabinet decisions, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said the ministers received a briefing on the economic indicators and the steps taken by the government during the last year.



The cabinet noted a positive trajectory of the several economic indicators. It was informed that the country’s exports and foreign reserves witnessed significant increase, while inflation experienced a downward trend.



“The current account and trade deficits witnessed 73% and 43% decrease, respectively, with 17% increase in the tax collection by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and 14.7% in the exports,” Dr Firdous told reporters.



“The cabinet was informed that the foreign direct investment in the country increased from $147 million in the previous year to $2.6 billion during the outgoing year,” she said, adding that Rs87 billion had been spent under the annual Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) so far.



“Rs700 billion more would be spent under this programme. The prime minister directed to give more priority to the projects under the PSDP, she said, adding that funds had also been transferred to the provinces for their development programmes.



One hundred industries, including textile industry, were shut down during the time of previous regimes. The incumbent government had taken steps for revival of the industries and now the people were getting job opportunities, she said, while responding to a question.



Firdous said that the cabinet declared 2020 as the year of economic progress, prosperity and public relief. “The prime minister has also declared that 2020 will be the year of economic stability and several initiatives will be taken in the New Year for the benefit of common man,” she added.



She announced that PM Imran would launch a comprehensive programme next week to provide edible items to the people on subsidised rates. The Financial Assistance Card (FAC) would be launched in last week of January for the unprivileged segments of the society.



“Edible items like flour, sugar, ghee, and pulses will be provided on subsidised rates through the utility stores,” Firdous told reporters. “The programme will be launched next week, while the Financial Assistance Card would be launched on January 20,” she added.



“Their health needs will be met through the Sehat Insaf Card. The health cards will be provided to deserving people through newly compiled database and those, who are not in the databank will be extended assistance through Langar Khanas,” she said.



While lauding the prime minister’s initiative of establishing shelter homes (Panah Gahs) for the homeless and poor masses, the cabinet decided that network of Langar Khanas and shelter homes would be expanded to other parts of the country.



Dr Firdous said the meeting also discussed the NAB ordinance in detail. It was observed that the ordinance would facilitate the business community and pave way for investment in the country resulting more jobs opportunities.



“The [amendment] ordinance would be tabled in parliament and the opposition parties, if they wanted, could propose changes in it there,” she said, adding that the opposition had been demanding amendment to the NAB laws for 11 years, which had been carried out by the government. “They are in fact overjoyed, but they are doing politics on this issue.”



The cabinet gave its consent to the appointment of Hashim Raza and Shahid Saleem Khan as Chief Executive Officer of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA), and the Managing Director of the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited, respectively.



The ministers referred back the amendment to the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) Act to the Economic Coordination Committee for further deliberation. The cabinet decided to make the National College of Arts a national institute, with campuses in all the provinces.



Firdous said that the prime minister had asked for taking details from the provinces about their spending on the development projects. The prime minister also took notice of closure of sugar mills and a special committee would look into cotton and sugarcane support prices issue, she added.



The cabinet strongly condemned Indian atrocities against innocent Kashmiris in occupied Jammu and Kashmir. A unanimous resolution was also passed by the cabinet to flay state-sponsored brutalities and barbarities on the innocent Kashmiris, she said.



“The cabinet also condemned [Indian Prime Minister Narendra] Modi government’s tactics against minorities through discriminatory laws like the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens,” Firdous added.



Fridous said the cabinet commended PM Imran's efforts for raising the plight of the people of occupied Kashmir and the state of human rights in the valley on international forums. She said the prime minister informed the cabinet about the steps taken by the government in the last five months to highlight the plight of Kashmiris at the international fora.