New facilities as part of the consumption stimulation initiative, entitled Ma Yeghlash Aaleik (It’s never too expensive for you) have been approved to further help citizens meet their needs, according to Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait.
The facilities will also help relieve the financial burdens many Egyptian citizens face, particularly as the new academic year approaches.
“If the original discount offered by merchants and manufacturers was more than 15% for any commodity, the initiative will offer additional 14% discount instead of 10% to ration card holders,” Maait said. “If merchants and manufacturers of a commodity presented a discount of 15% or less, the initiative will offer ration card holders additional 10% discount.”
Maait added that coordination is underway with Ministry of Supply and Internal Trading allowing ration card holders to benefit from the remaining and unused sums of their monthly subsidy for food commodities. These would be added to their balance with the initiative starting from this month. Consequently, the ration card holders will be able to buy any durable and non-durable goods offered at sale outlets.
The minister also pointed out that the government is keen to move the economy forward, and speedup the capital turnover in the interest of citizens. This will help provide for their basic requirements and create new job opportunities, by paying merchants and manufacturers’ dues from public treasury to the holders of ration cards within a maximum of four working days.
Deputy Minister of Treasury Affairs Ehab Abu Eish said that the initiative’s website has been redesigned, to ensure that it is simplified and easier to use. It has also been designed to make it easier for citizens to quickly search for goods they wish to buy.
Abu Eish added that the online platform has proven its effectiveness as part of the initiative, as it witnessed a remarkable turnout. It has also increasingly encouraged online purchases, due to the reduced time periods and effort needed to make use of this concept.
He pointed out that the number of goods, products and outlets has been increasing continuously since the initiative’s launch. The number of durable and non-durable goods available so far has grown to about 65,000, being sold in 1,631 outlets nationwide.
Abu Eish explained that this initiative is continuing, and that efforts to develop it are constantly taking place to increase its ability to provide goods at reduced prices. Meanwhile, it is also designed to stimulate consumption and encourage manufacturers and merchants to support the national economy.
