(Web Desk) — The federal government has finalized a comprehensive strategy to ease the burden of high electricity bills on the public nationwide.

The initiative introduces a new subsidy program aimed at assisting millions of low-income households across Pakistan. Leveraging the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP), the government plans to provide targeted subsidies to eligible families, replacing the current untargeted subsidy system with a more efficient and equitable approach. This program, led by the Power Division in collaboration with BISP, will utilize BISP’s established database and infrastructure to identify qualifying households based on specific socioeconomic criteria.

The Power Division will determine the total number of subsidies to be allocated, and BISP will screen its database to identify eligible families. To expand coverage, households not currently registered with BISP will be encouraged to register through the program’s 647 Dynamic Registration Centers (DRCs) nationwide.

Eligible families will receive SMS notifications confirming their inclusion in the subsidy program. To access the subsidy, beneficiaries will visit designated financial institutions with their electricity bills for biometric verification. The subsidy amount will then be deducted directly from their bill payments.

The implementation of this subsidy program will be overseen by the Power Division in collaboration with the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), ensuring coordination with financial institutions, banks, and other stakeholders involved in bill collection. Robust risk assessment measures will also be integrated to safeguard the efficiency and integrity of the subsidy distribution process.

This strategy represents a concerted effort by the government to alleviate the financial burden of electricity bills on the public, enhancing affordability and accessibility to essential services across Pakistan.