Tag Archives: approval

pakistan

PM Imran Khan is looking for plans for approval of a process online | Instant News



ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan directed the chief secretary of all provinces to submit a road map within one week to launch a one-window facility and online approval for permits, payment of fees, and parallel work of all departments related to the housing sector.

Following the meeting of the National Coordinating Committee for Housing, Construction and Development here, the prime minister is directed to complete government approval such as no objection certificates and others within the stipulated time period, and officials who show negligence or create unnecessary obstacles must be handled strictly.

The meeting was attended by Information Minister Senator Shibli Faraz, special assistant to Prime Minister Malik Amin Aslam, Lieutenant General (Ret) Asim Saleem Bajwa and Dr. Shahbaz Gill, Naya Pakistan Chair of the Housing and Development Authority Lieutenant General (Purnama) Anwar Ali Haider, Bank Governor State of Pakistan, housing secretary, Punjab chief secretary, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Giligit-Baltistan while chief secretary of Balochistan and Sindh, additional chief secretary Azad Jammu and Kashmir, president of the National Bank and Khyber Bank participated via video links.

Addressing the meeting, the prime minister said the government had provided an unprecedented package of incentives for the construction industry to accelerate economic activity, promote allied industries and provide housing facilities to the general public, especially low-income groups.

He said the government had decided to simplify the process in terms of making the maximum number of people benefit from the facility.

The prime minister instructs the use of information technology at all levels in the construction sector to make it faster and easier.

Regarding the promotion of mortgage facilities for the construction of low-cost housing for low-income groups, Imran Khan directed the finance ministry and the State Bank to complete the process of providing subsidies to banks to eliminate the hassles.

The Chair of the Lahore Development Authority notified the meeting about the LDA City project under the Pakistan Naya Housing Program. The Sindh secretary’s secretary told the meeting that according to the prime minister’s direction, the tax ratio had been reduced in the province so that it was on a par with those in the Punjab and KP.

The Punjab secretary and the head of the KP explained the meeting about the steps taken by each province to facilitate the construction industry such as the launch of the portal and the establishment of E-Sahulat centers.

Separately, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday ordered to ensure the provision of internet facilities with the best coverage in remote and underdeveloped regions of the country, especially in Balochistan, combining the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh regions.

He chaired a meeting held here about increasing and increasing the reach of the internet in the country.

Information Technology (IT) Minister Syed Ameenul Haq, Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood, IT Secretary, Chairperson of the Telecommunications Authority of Pakistan (PTA), Chief Executive of the Universal Fund (USF) Service Fund (USF) and other officials attended the meeting.

The prime minister said the provision of Internet facilities was a necessity for hours. To exploit the true potential of the younger generation, it is also necessary to ensure their easy access to education, and the wide reach of the internet and its easy availability is also important to achieve that goal, he added.

Imran Khan directed USF to take the steps needed to provide easy and cheaper Internet in schools. He was also directed to form a committee consisting of advisers to the PM on finance, and ministers for industry and production, planning, information technology, and education so they could submit their recommendations in that regard.

During the meeting, the prime minister was given a detailed description of projects providing internet facilities and increased coverage in areas far and underdeveloped by USF over the past two years and their targets for the current year.

He was also informed of the progress of various projects regarding the provision of internet facilities and increasing its reach in various districts in Balochistan, Sindh, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.

The prime minister was told that over the past two years, 1,800 kilometers of optical fiber had been placed in various regions of Balochistan and KP, while 4,600 kilometers of optical fiber would be placed on 547 union councils during the year.

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pakistan

Approval of gas load management granted by the PPP government: Ali Zaidi | Instant News


KARACHI – Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Haider Zaidi Tueaday said that all gas load management agreements were granted by the PPP government in 2008. In a statement on Twitter, the minister said that most of the concessions in which Karachi Electric operates were granted during 2008-2013. “Interestingly, NEPRA opened K-Electric tariffs in 2009 during the PPP administration. The Minister said that K-Electric must officially respond to all the harsh words of PPP Chair Bilawal Bhutto. “People in Karachi deserve to know the truth,” he said.

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pakistan

Private hospitals refuse to reach any agreement after the government notifies the committee to refer patients to them | Instant News


Despite the fact that no agreement has yet been reached between five private hospitals in Karachi and the Sindh health department for the care of COVID-19 patients ‘critically ill but in need’ at the expense of the provincial government, the Sindh health department on Friday was formed and notified ‘referral committee’ and nominating focus people to refer COVID-19 patients to private hospitals for treatment, The News learned on Friday.

To handle the limited space for patients infected with coronavirus in government hospitals, the Sindh government has held talks with the management of five private hospitals – Liaquat National Hospital, Dr. Ziauddin Hospital, Southern City Hospital, Patel Hospital, and Altamash General Hospital – to refer to those COVID-19 patients, so government facilities have no space.

According to health authorities, the five private hospitals have established separate COVID-19 wards with high dependency units (HDU), intensive care units (ICU) and ventilators and all of these health facilities have their own laboratories for testing and diagnosis of COVID -19.

The five private hospitals, according to the government’s proposal, will treat COVID-19 patients referred by the Sindh government at the last cost. However, so far no agreement has been reached on this matter, but the health department has notified the committee to refer COVID-19 patients to this private facility.

“No agreement or memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between five leading private hospitals and the Sindh health department to treat COVID-19 patients at government expense. “An MoU draft has been prepared for the agreement but we have some reservations about it, because so far there has been no progress in this regard,” said Dr Asim Hussain, chairman of Dr Ziauddin’s Hospital, when speaking with The News.

At present, only seven health facilities offer free treatment to COVID-19 patients, but all beds in their COVID-19 care ward meet capacity. The seven facilities include Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center, Karachi General Hospital Dr. Ruth KM Pfau, Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT), Dow Ojha University of Health Sciences (DUHS), Karachi Indus Hospital, Lyari General Hospital and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Trauma Center.

Since the first COVID-19 case was reported in Sindh on February 26, 2020, the provincial health department has been trying to persuade private health facilities to treat COVID-19 patients in need but private hospitals do not seem to want to share the burden on the provincial government without agreements and payment of expenses in advance, arguing that it is very difficult to get bills cleared from the health department.

Expressing his ignorance of the notification about the appointment of a focus person or the constitutional referral committee by the Sindh health department, Dr. Asim said private hospitals were not satisfied with some of the conditions or clauses of the draft MoU and unless disputes were resolved. , no agreement can be reached between the provincial government and private hospitals.

“The government wants us to improve beds for their patients in high dependency units and intensive care units while we have told them that beds will only be available for their patients on condition of availability. Second, we have told them that only standard care will be offered on packages offered by the government. The cost of new and expensive antivirals and other modern medicines will not be included in this package, “Dr. Asim argues.

Under the draft MoU, private hospitals will charge the government Rs65,000 for patient care in HDU and Rs110,000 in ICU per day for the care of critically ill patients who cannot afford their own treatment.

The administration of two other private hospitals, the South City Hospital and the Liaquat National Hospital, also denied reaching an agreement with the Sindh government.

“No agreement was reached between us and the Sindh health department regarding the care of COVID-19 patients at government expense but we will not reject patients if they are referred to us by the authorities. But at this time, we are ready for capacity and do not take more COVID-19 patients, “said Chief Executive of the Southern City Hospital, Dr. Sadia Rizvi, told The News.

“I don’t know why an agreement has not been reached between a private hospital and the government because Dr Asim Hussain represents a private hospital. But we don’t reject any patients. At present, our COVID-19 ward is already crowded. We have a 27-bed COVID ward but we are adding 14 more beds to increase its capacity to 41 from Monday onwards, “Dr. Rizvi.

The Liaquat National Hospital Administration (LNH) also denied reaching an agreement with the provincial government regarding the care of COVID-19 patients, saying that they accepted all COVID-19 patients because they had increased COVID-19 care room facilities to 50. beds from 34 places sleep at first.

“We have not reached an agreement with the Sindh health department or the government for the care of patients in need at government expense but we treat patients as usual. If the government sends someone to be treated, even without any consent, we will treat the patient. We are also open to all other patients who are not infected with coronavirus and have other health problems and problems, “said Managing Director of the Liaquat National Hospital, Dr. Salman Faridi.

Minister’s version

Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Pechuho said they were “close to reaching an agreement” with private hospitals, adding that the MoU would likely be signed on Saturday or Monday with five hospitals for the care of COVID-19 patients in need at Sindh government costs.

“The health department has formed a committee consisting of the chief technical advisor, the health secretary along with Sindh Health Commission officials and others to inspect and monitor facilities in the ‘Private Hospital Core Group’ where patients will be referred for treatment before signing an MoU with them,” Dr Azra said in response to questions about confusion over the government’s agreement with private hospitals.

Regarding the notice for the appointment of an important person and the constitutional referral committee, he said it was a draft notice, which had not been signed by the Sindh health secretary. He added that once the MoU was signed between the two parties, both key people and the referral committee would be formally notified.

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pakistan

Gwadar Harbor to increase Pakistan-Afghanistan trade: Afghan envoy | Instant News


Photo taken on November 13, 2016 shows the COSCO Wellington cargo ship with containers moored at the port of Gwadar, Pakistan. (Xinhua / Liu Tian)

Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan says Pakistan’s decision to allow Afghan traders to import goods through the port of Gwadar “will certainly have a positive impact on Afghanistan-Pak trade and transit relations. “

ISLAMABAD, May 30 (Xinhua) – The Afghan ambassador to Pakistan Atif Mashal said on Friday Pakistan’s decision to allow Afghan traders to import goods through the port of Gwadar in southwest Balochistan province would increase bilateral trade and transit relations between the two countries.

Mashal’s comments came after the arrival of a cargo ship, carrying 16,000 tons of urea for transit to Afghanistan in the port of Gwadar, according to the China Overseas Port Holding Company which operates the port of Gwadar, and Abdul Razak Dawood, Pakistan’s prime minister’s adviser for trade, textiles, industry and production, and investation.

Pakistan last month announced it was permitting the import of Afghan bulk cargoes, wheat, sugar and fertilizer in the port of Gwadar and the subsequent transit to Afghanistan by trucks that could be closed, rather than being confined to containers.

“For the first time, bagging will be carried out locally instead of foreign ports. Urea will be bagged and shipped by truck to Afghanistan in Gwadar, which will generate employment for local residents. Instructions have been given to allocate all labor work to local residents,” Dawood said on Twitter on Friday.

Photos taken on March 24, 2018 show views of Gwadar port in Pakistan. (Xinhua / Liu Tian)

The Afghan ambassador welcomed Pakistan’s decision and appreciated the efforts of the Pakistani adviser.

“This will certainly have a positive impact on the Afghanistan-Pak trade and transit relationship. We must support one another for the revival of trade and connectivity in Central and South Asia which will surely benefit people in the region,” Mashal said a tweet.

Pakistan announced in October last year to open the Gwadar port for Afghanistan’s transit trade because trade-related infrastructure at the port already handles bulk cargo to and from Afghanistan. The first ship carrying containers for the Afghan transit trade arrived at the port of Gwadar on January 14, 2020.

Landlocked Pakistan and Afghanistan signed a transit trade agreement in 1965 that was revised in 2010, which called for better facilitation in the movement of goods between the two countries.

Afghan traders will previously use the port in Karachi, Pakistan’s commercial center, for imports under a transit trade agreement

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pakistan

NAB forwards Rs7bn in reference to Sharifs for approva | Instant News


LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau, Lahore, has continued the laundering of Rs 7 billion in assets and assets beyond references to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and former chief minister Shahbaz Sharif and their family members to the NAB chairman for approval. filed in the accountability court.

It has been learned that references have been received by the NAB Headquarters and after the pre-council meeting, it will be submitted to the head of the NAB for approval. NAB has appointed Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Shahbaz Sharif as the main accused in the reference. In total, NAB has accused 16 people in this case including Nawaz, Maryam, Shahbaz, Hamza Shahbaz, Ali Imran Yousaf and others. In addition, NAB has added statements confirming four people along with 100 witnesses.

In accordance with the details of the Chaudhry Sugar Mills money laundering investigation, the NAB in January 2018 received a report from the Financial Oversight Unit (FMU) describing massive suspicious transactions in billions of rupees at the Chaudhry Sugar Factory under the Anti-Money Laundering Law. It is important to mention here that in January 2018, PML-N ruled the country.

After receiving the UPH report, NAB began an investigation in October 2018 and found that Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, Shahbaz Sharif and his family and Abbas Sharif and family were shareholders in the company along with several foreigners from the UAE and the United Kingdom. During the investigation, it was revealed that massive investments were made in Chaudhry Sugar Mills from 2001 to 2017 in billions of rupees to issue shares on behalf of foreigners. Interestingly, then, the shares of the same company were transferred back to Maryam, Hussain and Nawaz on various occasions without paying money to foreign business partners.

Maryam during her hearing before NAB CIT allegedly failed to establish business relations with foreign nationals including Saeed Saif Bin Jabar Al-Suweidi (UAE citizen), Sheikh Zakauddin (British citizen), Hani Ahmad Jamjoom (Arab citizen) and Naseer Abdullah Lootah (National UAE) after that he was summoned for August 8 and arrested.

During the process of Maryam’s detention, an investigative report was filed by the NAB in the accountability court, which alleged that Maryam and her father Nawaz Sharif washed hundreds of millions of rupees. The report said that the assets of the accused were beyond their means. NAB told us that Maryam was the director of Chaudhry Sugar Mills from 1992 to 1997 and also the chief executive of the factory in 1995-96. The report said Maryam had 864,000 shares in 1995-96 but in 2008-10, she owned 12 million factory shares and 47 percent of CSM owners. It said Nawaz Sharif was a small shareholder of the factory in 1999 but was the owner of 46 percent of shares in 2015-16.

The NAB claims that Maryam continues to change her attitude regarding shares transferred in her name from foreign nationals. It is said that Maryam said that maybe her grandfather had a business relationship with a foreign citizen. Maryam’s grandfather had died in 2004, but the shares were transferred in her name in 2008. The report said Maryam was a trained politician and was reluctant to share details of the shares.

NAB informed that in October 2013, Rs 500 million was transferred from abroad to Yousaf Abbas’s account and Yousaf’s tax records stated that he had no business on foreign land. It was stated that Maryam and Yousaf bought another sugar factory, the Shamim Sugar Factory with a total of Rs 1.2 billion. Then, in 2013, the factory was sold and the bureau had called the new owner with a note. In addition, the defendant did not answer where the capital came from to buy the Shamim Sugar Factory.

NAB sources claim that investigators came to the conclusion that the names of foreigners were used as proxies to make large investments in the company because of the reason that Sharif’s family did not have white money for investment. They alleged that the Chaudhry Sugar Mills investigation was a classic case of money laundering.

In addition, NAB is investigating all members of the Shahbaz family for money laundering and having assets beyond their means. The NAB had summoned Hassan and Hussain but both did not appear because they were fugitives in the Avenfield case and lived in London.

Meanwhile, NAB Lahore has begun a new investigation of the Nawaz and Shahbaz families for allegedly illegally acquiring thousands of canals in Jati Umra, Raiwind. According to sources, in this investigation, NAB tends to question Shamim Begum, the mother of Sharif’s brothers.

It is known that this matter has also been referred to the head of NAB to change the verification of this complaint into an investigation. In this investigation, it was alleged that Sharif’s family using his influence in 2013 declared thousands of Canals as agricultural land and then in 2014 with the help of the bureaucracy from Ahad Khan Cheema turned the land into a residential area. Then LDA Director General Ahad Khan Cheema and then Lahore DCO Noorul Amin Mengal will also be examined by NAB on this issue, said the source. In addition, after approval of the investigation from the head of NAB, Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Shahbaz Sharif will be issued a notice of summons, the source said.

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pakistan

LDA is seeking approval to restart public transactions | Instant News


LAHORE: To implement Prime Minister Imran Khan’s directives regarding the opening of the construction sector throughout the country, the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) has requested the release of the Punjab 2020 Disease Prevention and Control Regulations.

Sources in the LDA revealed that the regulation prohibits all types of meetings and only excluded utility services, Wasa, municipal companies, gas Sui, Disco, NTDC and other departments and this is why the LDA cannot open public transactions.

The source said the Director General of the LDA, through the Provincial Secretary of Housing sent a written request to the provincial secretary to seek medical exemptions as given to Wasa and the city company to continue the hours of public visit.

Sources say this clearly shows that the federal government and Punjab are not on the same page in terms of opening the construction sector; if not, such legal obstacles must be removed automatically to facilitate the construction sector.

On the other hand, LDA officials said that the authorities had restarted an ongoing development project under the direction of the Prime Minister to resume the construction sector.

The LDA spokesman said that the authorities had taken all precautions in continuing the ongoing development project. He said advertisements for new development projects had also been issued in response time from bidders.

After the authorities have been released from the Ordinance, it will enforce SOPs that have been prepared to facilitate development and private development. To avoid public congestion, LDA will only open one window to approve a map of new buildings while there is no property transfer to be entertained, he added that applicants must take an earlier appointment to visit the LDA One Window through the LDA web portal.

All of these steps are taken for public safety and LDA will provide applicants with a handwashing area, cleaning and disinfecting tunnel.

He said that no applicant was allowed into the LDA office without a mask while all staff working in one window would also wear face masks and use cleansers. Answering questions about submitting applications online, he said the process was stalled as long as the Punjab government empowered E-Khidmat Markaz for this purpose.

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New Zealand

New Zealand Warriors were allowed to travel to Australia before the planned NRL was restarted amid coronavirus restrictions | Instant News


Interior Minister Peter Dutton has confirmed the Australian Border Force (ABF) has given permission for the New Zealand NRL Warriors team to come to Australia.

“This morning [Australian Border Force] The commissioner freed 36 foreign nationals from travel restrictions, allowing them to travel to Australia, “Dutton said in a statement.

“A separate permit has been provided to enable chartered aircraft to land at Tamworth Airport on May 3, 2020.”

The Warriors will stay in isolation at Tamworth for 14 days but will be allowed to train together during that time.

Mr Dutton said the ABF Commissioner had carefully considered requests to allow the team to come to Australia, including advice from Chief Medical Staff Brendan Murphy that players and staff traveling from New Zealand “did not pose a risk of serious harm to public health in Australia” .

“The National Rugby League has been advised to work with NSW Health and NSW Police to ensure all health and quarantine requirements of the country are met.”

There is uncertainty regarding the role of the Warriors in the season that was restarted, given the Federal Government’s decision last month to ban foreign travelers from entering Australia in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The decision came after NRL announced on Friday that Soldiers had been given permission to fly to Australia by the National Cabinet, ask for clarification from the Prime Minister.

Speaking after a National Cabinet meeting, Scott Morrison said the decision to allow New Zealand Fighters to Australia was for the states and ABF, not the National Cabinet.

“The National Cabinet has not yet ratified it and the National Cabinet has not done that either,” he said.

“Individual jurisdictions will eventually provide the necessary permits on the basis of health to deal with one of the main codes.”

On Saturday, NRL welcomed the decision.

“This is a very good result for the rugby league and another step towards competition starts again on May 28,” ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys said in a statement.

“I want to thank the federal and state governments, especially the Border Force and the NSW State Emergency Operations Center for their assistance in making the arrival of Soldiers a reality.

“The club will follow strict biological safety protocols and, like all clubs, will participate in an education day about the protocol on Monday morning.”

Load

Warriors chief executive Cameron George thanked authorities and said his team was happy to be able to focus on getting ready to play.

“We have been at the forefront and the center of a lot of speculation and many challenges, but to get that notification only 24 hours before we departed, it was a great relief for our players and clubs,” said George.

“And it’s very good for our people so we can focus on the work that is there.

“We greatly appreciate the leadership of NRL, are very grateful and respect the decision of the Australian Federal Government and also the State Government.

“[We are] very aware that this is a very challenging time but respects the process they must follow. ”

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PM Imran Khan is paying attention to all promises made without the approval of the federal government | Instant News


ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has taken notice of all official promises made after August 18, 2016 without the approval of the federal government which means the prime minister and his cabinet.

And to this effect, a letter signed on April 24 by Muhammad Azam Khan, Secretary of the Prime Minister said that the prime minister directed all federal secretaries, additional secretaries (in charge) of all divisions to give cabinet secretaries within the week before April 30, 2020 a list that shows all appointments that require approval from the federal government.

All secretaries, additional secretaries (responsible) of the division have also been asked to provide a list of all appointments made in accordance with the delegated authority of the federal cabinet to the federal minister, secretary, illegal, null and void jurisdiction.

As per the letter, the prime minister further directed that the exercise would be completed on April 30, 2020 and the list would be distributed to the cabinet secretary who would present the same thing before the federal cabinet at a meeting scheduled for May 5. 2020 (Tuesday).

The prime minister’s secretariat takes this decision in view of the decision of the Supreme Court and the High Court of Islamabad.

The letter also mentions the decision of the high court behind the prime minister’s notice and for this matter refers to the decision of the Islamabad High Court on April 23, 2020 which clearly says: the initial designation of respondent No.2 and Respondent No.3 was not made by the federal government as explicitly given under the 2010 action and, therefore, they were without jurisdiction, null and void. “

It was further stated that the Supreme Court of Pakistan in its verdict reported on 18 August 2016 stated that the federal government included the prime minister and his cabinet. The prime minister or any other minister, the secretary cannot exclusively and solely represent the federal government and whenever and the law requires decisions to be made by the federal government, then it must be a Cabinet decision including the prime minister.

In view of the aforementioned high court’s ruling, the prime minister is happy to direct and all federal secretaries / additional secretaries (responsible) of all divisions will conduct exercises that show all appointments made after 18 August 2016, requiring approval from the federal government / cabinet in accordance with relevant laws / regulations / regulations, which are made without the approval of the federal government / cabinet.

The list must, inter alia, include all such appointments made in accordance with the authority of the federal cabinet delegated to federal ministers / secretaries, which are illegal, null and void of jurisdiction.

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‘Practice online bookings after government approval | | Lahore | thenews.com.pk | Instant News


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Food & Drink

Demand for California Food Seals Soars – But Equipped with a Dilemma for Some in Need – NBC Bay Area | Instant News

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New figures from the California Department of Social Services show application for Benefits of CalFresh food aid – sometimes called “food stamps” – doubled, with 88,602 requests in the last week of March. That compared with 39,145 applications in the same week in 2019.

Some families and needy seniors who are approved face unforeseen obstacles in getting much needed food: they can only use their allowance cards in stores, forcing them to leave relatively safe home security.

Catherine is one of them. The 61-year-old lung cancer patient lives at home U.S. Disease Control and Prevention Center recommend a. His condition means he has a very high risk of life-threatening illness if exposed to the corona virus.

But Catherine told the NBC Bay Area that she could only use CalFresh’s benefits directly, at the grocery store.

“Why hasn’t the government made it possible to use your food stamps online when ordering food from supermarkets, to be sent via Instacart, for example?” he asked us.

We brought the question to the Social Services Department. This confirms that yes, the current settings require CalFresh recipients to go to the store. But that can change soon.

Social Services told us that he applied for federal approval to allow CalFresh recipients to use their benefits online. On Wednesday, U.S. Agricultural Food Nutrition Services Department (FNS) approves California’s request.

Officials with DSS said that the implementation of the NBC Bay Area could take place in just a few weeks.

“Approval received from FNS depends on working with retailers approved by FNS, Amazon and Walmart,” a Social Services spokeswoman said by email. “We will continue to work with FNS to bring in additional retailers. Implementation is expected by the end of April.”

We will look for updates on the country’s website, GetCalFresh.org. That’s where individuals and families can apply for food assistance. The state says the application process takes about ten minutes, and you can get up to $ 194 per person, per month.

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