The Federal Minister for Finance, Shaukat Tarin has said that the incumbent government will start giving targeted subsidies from this month to the weak segments of society on essential commodities including sugar, flour and pulses.
According to media reports, the Finance Minister has made these remarks while addressing a news conference along with Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib and Special Assistant on Food Security Jamshed Cheema in Islamabad on Tuesday.
On the occasion, Shaukat Tarin has said that the targeted subsidy will be in the form of cash assistance, which will cover thirty five to forty percent population. He said the government is also focusing on bolstering the agriculture productivity.
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The Finance Minister has said that the strategic reserves of major commodities are also being built in order to ensure smooth supplies in the market. He said that the prices of wheat will see decline in the coming days.
In his remarks, the Special Assistant on Food Security has said that the prices of flour, sugar, Ghee and pulses would be reduced by December this year. He said the government is targeting on ensuring quality and affordable price of milk; and a program to this effect would be unfolded in two weeks.
Jamshed Cheema further stated that we are also shifting from non-promising crops to promising crops to meet the food demand of the country. He said there has been an increase in prices of energy, food and mettle from 34 percent to 129 percent in the world, which made an impact on the prices in Pakistan.