ISLAMABAD: The government on Tuesday allocated over Rs103 billion to provide urgent relief to 4.1 million flood-affected people and also approved a grant to give the State’s Guest status to a delegation of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) that is currently visiting the country.
The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet, which took the decisions, also doubled the country’s strategic wheat reserves quota, besides allowing the additional import of 800,000 metric tons of wheat by reversing a one-month old decision.
The ECC approved a summary and directed the BISP to disburse a total of Rs25,000 per household in the calamity-affected districts for poverty score up to 32, according to the Ministry of Finance.
The Finance Division will consult with the BISP to discuss the financial implications and required modalities. Furthermore, the Federal government will ask the provinces to provide their share in the relief for flood affectees, it added. The Ministry of Poverty alleviation and social safety submitted a summary for emergency cash assistance to affectees of the flash floods 2022. The ministry has estimated the cost of Rs25,000 per family relief at Rs103.2 billion for a total beneficiaries of 4.12 million.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had directed the BISP to identify the bottom 60% population of affected notified areas of the country with the help of National Socio-Economic Registry Data. In addition to initial relief, the government will separately compensate the people for the construction of their homes.
Unprecedented rains and flash floods across the country have resulted in loss of lives and properties. According to initial estimates about 33 million people have been affected by the floods. The relief money was approved the day the United Nations launched a global appeal for $160 million aid for Pakistan to help around 5.2 million people.
The ECC also approved Rs7 million budget for the National FATF Secretariat to incur expenses on giving the State of Pakistan’s Guest status to the FATF delegation.
The ECC was informed that the FATF team of 15 members was visiting Pakistan from 29th August to 2nd September in order to verify the stance of Pakistan as reported in cyclic reports. –Agencies
