Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday launched the Kamyab Pakistan Program (KPP) worth Rs1,400 billion with an aim to uplift 3.7 million households across the country.
Addressing a ceremony in Islamabad, the PM termed the project a “landmark initiative” that would improve the living standards of the lower segments. He said that such a project should have been started 74 years ago to make Pakistan a welfare state on the lines of ‘Riyast-e-Madina’.
Imran noted the Kamyab Pakistan Program was prepared after the hectic efforts and consultation process. The premier said a committee would be constituted to evaluate the progress of the programme and address any problems.
According to the prime minister, the current system of Pakistan only “caters to the elite”. Education, justice, and banking systems are meant for the elite only, he said, adding that the society cannot progress without equal opportunities for all.
However, the premier said the present government was trying to change its priorities to uplift poor families and added that the government introduced the Single National Curriculum to bring equality in the education system so that more opportunities could be provided to the working class. He also criticised people who were opposed to the uniform syllabus.
He said Madina was a “successful model of the world because of its principles of humanity and justice”. The premier said the government was also cognisant of the problems faced by the downtrodden segments of the society due to inflation and related price hikes.
The prime minister said a programme was being launched under the Ehsaas initiative to provide targeted subsidies on essential commodities, such as flour, edible oil, and sugar.
Speaking about the increase in the price of commodities, he further said the government has tried to absorb the maximum pressure of the increase in the prices of commodities in the international markets.
“There has been a 100 per cent increase in the prices of petroleum products over the last few months, but the government increased petroleum prices by 21 per cent only,” he added and said the government slashed sales tax and petroleum levy on petrol and diesel to provide relief to people.
Imran said the government would have earned Rs400 billion in revenue had it not slashed the taxes on petroleum products.
The prime minister also said wheat prices increased by 33 per cent in the global market whereas sugar price rose by 40 per cent; however, the government increased the prices by 12 and 21 per cent, respectively.
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Imran termed this “imported inflation”, saying the government will bring the prices down once there is a smooth supply of commodities in the global market.
During the ceremony, Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin said that under the Kamyab Karobar initiative, the government would provide interest-free loans of up to Rs500,000 to poor households. Similarly, under the Kamyab Kissan initiative, interest-free loans will be given to the farmers, he added.
Tarin said the program will also enable these households to build their own houses, adding that health cards will be provided to the poor and one person of each family will be provided with technical training.
The minister further added that the Kamyab Pakistan Program will be later expanded to 6 million households from 3.7 million households at present.
