Sindh announces Rs2,000 for bikers as fuel subsidy

Punjab, Islamabad make public transportation free

ISLAMABAD: The Sindh and Punjab governments announced a host of relief measures on Friday, a day after the Centre announced an unprecedented increase of 43 per cent and 55pc in the prices of petrol and high-speed diesel (HSD), respectively, to cushion the impact of global oil price shocks amid the US-Israel war on Iran.

The Sindh government also announced support for small-scale farmers and transporters. Meanwhile, the Punjab government said it was making public transport free, introducing a targeted monthly subsidy for transporters, a diesel subsidy for wheat-growing farmers and a subsidy for motorcyclists.

At the same time, public transport in the federal capital was also made free for the next 30 days, starting from Saturday.

In a press conference in Karachi, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah announced the Sindh government will provide motorcyclists Rs2,000 as part of a fuel subsidy under a scheme unveiled by the federal government a day earlier.

At the outset of the press conference, the chief minister, referring to the recent fuel hike, maintained that the government had to take “difficult decisions”.

“For three weeks, the prime minister did not increase the cost of fuel; however, the policy had both advantages and disadvantages,” CM Murad said, noting that the blanket subsidy was benefiting the “rich and poor alike”.

He recalled that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) also highlighted the need for “targeted subsidies”. He said the federal government, along with the provincial governments, held consultations and developed a “one-month regimen, which has four components”.

Under one of the components, he said it was decided that motorcyclists should be “shielded from the hike,” resulting in the Rs100 subsidy, which was announced a day earlier.

In that regard, the chief minister said that the provincial government will be providing registered motorcycle owners Rs2,000 per month as part of the fuel subsidy.

“The excise department has prepared an application,” he said, adding that once registered, the owners will receive the funds “between April 15-20” as targeted support for bikers.

He urged bike owners to get their vehicle registered “under their own name” so they may be able to avail the services.

“Go to the excise department’s website and check if your vehicle is registered by entering your CNIC number,” he said. CM Murad added that the application will be available in three days.

The chief minister also announced support for small-scale farmers, stating that farmers with land less than 25 acres will be given Rs1,500 per acre. He expressed faith that the subsidy will be able to “compensate for the cost of diesel”.

“We can begin the transfers from tomorrow,” he added.

Detailing the third component of the targeted subsidy, CM Murad said that the provinces, in consultation with the Centre, had decided on relief for public transport and goods transport as well, of up to Rs100,000.

He said the scheme will be administered by the federal government and implemented nationwide “to provide support for smaller provinces”.

Meanwhile, the Punjab government announced that free public transport would be provided to the people on intra-city routes across the province.

The Punjab CM said the government had also decided to provide cash support for the protection of agriculture, food, and farmers.

“A subsidy of Rs100 per litre of diesel per acre will be provided to farmers. It has also been decided to provide a subsidy to motorcyclists — every registered bike owner will receive a subsidy of Rs100 on 20 litres,” she said.