LAHORE: The government has decided to introduce a digital subsidy system through a mobile application to tackle the ongoing energy crisis, aiming to streamline the distribution of subsidised petrol across the country.
According to officials, the Ministry of IT has invited expressions of interest for the procurement of 24,000 mobile phones for the initiative. The National IT Board will oversee the pricing of these devices.
Under the proposed mechanism, oil marketing companies will purchase the mobile phones and distribute them to petrol pumps nationwide. Approximately 12,000 petrol stations will each be equipped with two devices, with two dedicated nozzles allocated for subsidised fuel.
The system will primarily target two- and three-wheelers, allowing eligible users to receive subsidised petrol through the mobile application. Consumers will be issued digital vouchers, and strict limits will be enforced to prevent fuel purchases beyond allocated quotas.
Initial proposals suggest that motorcyclists may receive up to 20 litres of subsidised petrol per month. However, a final decision on extending the facility to vehicles up to 800cc is yet to be made.
Officials confirmed that the mobile application has already been developed and is in the final stages of testing. The government is also exploring additional measures to address the energy crisis and has prepared contingency plans for emergency situations.
Meanwhile, monitoring of petrol pumps across the country has been initiated to ensure transparency and effective implementation of the new system.
