The government is preparing a new digital system to deal with the energy crisis and to provide cheaper petrol to low income citizens, according to reports on Thursday.
The plan will use a mobile application through which subsidies will be given directly to users.
Benefit for motorcyclists
The government has said that people who are not part of the subsidy scheme will have to bear the impact of international oil prices.
A decision has not yet been made on whether vehicles up to 800cc will be included in the scheme.
How will the app work
Under the plan, about 12,000 petrol pumps across Pakistan will offer subsidised fuel through dedicated nozzles.
Each petrol pump will operate the digital system using two mobile phones to manage the process.
Users will receive digital vouchers through the mobile app. These vouchers can be shown at selected petrol pumps to get subsidised petrol.
Each user’s quota will be linked to their national identity card and vehicle registration number to ensure transparency and to prevent misuse.
Petrol quota app
To keep the system effective, a 24 hour monitoring setup will be introduced.
A backup mechanism is also being prepared to make sure of fuel supply during emergencies.
Training videos will be shown at petrol pumps to help both users and staff understand how to use the app.
Sources said the mobile app developed by the Ministry of IT is currently in the testing phase and will soon be launched across the country.
The main target of the scheme will be motorcycle and rickshaw owners. A proposal is under review to provide up to 20 litres of subsidised petrol per month to each eligible user.
Officials have also reviewed fuel consumption data from March last year to March this year.
The review showed that fuel usage increased even when prices were higher.
This trend has led the government to consider introducing a fuel rationing system through the new app.
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