All paper ration cards to be superseded by smart ones

All paper ration cards will be superseded by smart ones by end of August, the supply minister said.
During a seminar at the Middle East News Agency (MENA), Supply and Internal Trade Minister Ali Moselhi said about 70 million citizens benefit from subsidies via about 19 million ration cards.
Moslhi said the government seeks to magnify the benefit of subsidy mechanism to ensure that subsidies end up in the hands of those who deserve.
He expounded that subsidy is one of the fundamental ways for realizing social justice.
He noted that the new bread mechanism will secure about EGP 4.5 billion annually. 
Under the new system, bakeries buy flour at market prices in advance and after producing and selling their bread to ration-card holders, they will be compensated for the shortfall in production costs. 
He noted that the ministry would cooperate with the Ministry of Planning to restructure the ministry and hone skills of its employees.
Meanwhile, the minister accentuated that the state has enough stock of strategic commodities, such as wheat, sugar and oil.
He noted that developing the internal trade mechanism should focus on handling any distortion or imbalance.
As Eidul Adha looms, meat and fish are secured at suitable prices at the Agriculture Ministry's outlets, he added.

Source: Mena