Govt plans to implement food aid programme for urban poor

The government plans to implement a food aid programme to the urban poor involving various ministries through the National Blue Ocean Strategy (NBOS).

It was among proposals submitted to the Addressing Urban Poverty Executive Committee meeting, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, here today to find the best way to handle the issue in an integrated manner.

The meeting had discussed several reports from several ministries and government agencies about the cost of living, especially regarding the issues related to urban poverty.

Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism Ministry, in a statement, issued after the meeting said the food aid programme would involve cooperation with hypermarkets to supply frozen food to urban hardcore poor.

The ministry said cooked food at a reasonable price for students would also be introduced at public and private higher education institutions, especially in the big cities.

"Implementation of this programme will also involve former students such as operators and workers," the ministry said.

It also said a committee would be formed to study the production cost as well as the distribution chain to avoid any price manipulation by a third party.

The government would also carry out a study to gather information on supply requirements through data collection on home ownership and rental of homes to identify the needs (of home) and price trends based on a specific location, the statement said.

"There are also plans by the government to give incentives to developers who build affordable housing, in addition to encourage them to use the latest technology to reduce the cost of construction such as the use of Industrialised Building System (IBS) which is more economical," the statement said.

It added that the government would work with government-linked companies (GLCs) to channel assistance to the Federal Special Relief Fund that would be used to assist the people's aid programmes.

Among the ministers involved in today's meeting were Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam, Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof and Minister in the Prime Minister''s Department Datuk Seri Dr Shahidan Kassim. --Bernama