Minister for Industries and Production Hammad Azhar says the government has allocated 75 billion rupees to provide relief to labourers and daily wagers, who have lost their jobs due to coronavirus.

Addressing a news conference in Islamabad on Monday, he said this amount has been allocated on the directions of Prime Minister Imran Khan to provide relief to the common people.

The Minister said under the programme 12,000 rupees each will be distributed among four to six million people, which will be additional to 12 million Ehsas beneficiaries. He said a portal to this effect will be launched after getting federal cabinet's nod tomorrow.

The Minister said labourers and daily wagers can get themselves registered by accessing the portal and filling the requisite information there. He said this process can be completed in around three minutes. He said the eligible people will be finalized after applying.

Hammad Azhar said the Economic Coordination Committee has also approved another package of PM Programme for small businesses, under which the government will pay their electricity bill for three months. He said small businesses having commercial connection of less than five kilowatt and industrial consumers less than 70 kilowatt can benefit from this initiative. He said 95 percent commercial and 80 percent industrial connection holders will be benefited of this facility. He said around 3.5 million people running small businesses like tailor shops, small markets, and industrial units will take advantage of this initiative. He said this programme will equally be available for the people of Azad Kashmir as well.

Akram/Asmaa