PM Relief Scheme Expanded to Include Petrol Purchases Below 5 Litres

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expanded the scope of the Prime Minister’s Special Relief Scheme, announcing relief for motorcycle, Qingqi and rickshaw drivers who purchase less than five litres of petrol.

According to details issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, motorcycle and rickshaw owners purchasing less than five litres of petrol will now also be eligible for an immediate weekly relief of Rs500, based on a subsidy of Rs100 per litre.

The decision was taken in view of suggestions and feedback received from citizens across the country, with the objective of ensuring that low-income and middle-class people can benefit from the scheme without difficulty.

Under the revised mechanism, motorcycle and rickshaw drivers will be issued one token per week and a total of four tokens per month. This will allow them to purchase smaller quantities of petrol according to their needs while still receiving the subsidy.

The existing mechanism for owners of vehicles with engine capacities of up to 800cc will continue. They will receive three tokens for 10 litres each and can avail themselves of a Rs100-per-litre subsidy on 10 litres of petrol every 10 days.

Earlier, the prime minister had directed that all motorcycles, rickshaws and Qingqi rickshaws registered after January 1, 2006, be included in the relief programme, enabling owners of vehicles up to 20 years old to benefit from the scheme.

The relief scheme is open to eligible citizens across all four provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and the federal capital.

The government has also made all registration SMS messages sent to 9771 completely free to facilitate citizens seeking registration under the scheme.