Breaking the Subsidy Chain: PMBMC’s Unique Welfare Model Set to Launch

Punjab is preparing for a historic welfare initiative that could change how citizens interact with government services. From July 2024, the Punjab Model Bazaars Management Company (PMBMC) will roll out Pakistan’s first-ever province-wide free home delivery system for essential commodities.

This initiative is the brainchild of Mr. Naveed Rafaqat Ahmad, Chief Financial Officer of PMBMC currently holding additional charge as CEO. Naveed has been widely recognized for conceptualizing this bold model and ensuring its readiness for execution on a massive scale. Unlike previous projects that remained pilots or urban-limited, this program will immediately cover all Model Bazaars across Punjab, making it one of the largest and most unique governance interventions in the country’s history.

Why This Model Is Unique

The Free Home Delivery system stands apart from any welfare project ever attempted in Pakistan:

• Nationwide First: No other province or authority has designed a service that delivers essentials from government-regulated bazaars directly to citizens’ homes.
• Cheaper Than Market: Goods will be sold at prices below government-notified rates, ensuring affordability during inflationary spikes.
• Free of Cost Delivery: Citizens will pay nothing for delivery — a feature never before seen at the government level.
• Contactless & Confidential: Riders will ensure safe, contactless delivery, while customers’ personal details remain private.
• App-Enabled Governance: A dedicated mobile app — already registered on both Apple and Android platforms— will serve as the official interface, making it easy for families to place orders.

This combination makes the model not just unique, but revolutionary for Pakistan’s welfare sector.

Strengthening Social Impact

The anticipated social benefits are vast:

• Households Protected: Families across Punjab will no longer face price exploitation or transportation costs to buy essentials.
• Women & Vulnerable Groups: The system particularly benefits women-headed households, the elderly, and those unable to travel to markets.
• Daily Relief: Instead of occasional subsidies, citizens will experience consistent, daily support in managing household budgets.
• Dignified Service: Welfare is delivered as a service — not as charity — preserving citizens’ dignity and privacy.

This makes PMBMC’s model not only socially impactful but also human-centered in design.

Inflation Control at Scale

Perhaps the most critical role of this initiative will be its function as an inflation control mechanism.

By fixing essential commodity prices at bazaars and then delivering them directly to citizens, PMBMC is effectively bypassing profiteering layers. The ripple effects are powerful:

• Market Discipline: Competing vendors in surrounding markets will be forced to align their rates with those of Model Bazaars.
• Real-Time Monitoring: App-based orders will provide government with live data on demand, pricing, and shortages, enabling quick interventions.
• Stabilizing Prices: Citizens will see lower and more stable prices for staples, reducing the pressure of inflation on household budgets.

No other welfare authority in Pakistan has directly tackled inflation in this way, making PMBMC’s initiative a model for economic stabilization.

Employment and Business Opportunities

Beyond household relief, the initiative will also generate new employment and enterprise opportunities:

• Thousands of riders will be employed for deliveries.
• Farmers and suppliers will gain direct access to formalized demand.
• Vendors will integrate into a digital supply chain, becoming part of the documented economy.

Thus, the project strengthens not only social welfare but also economic development.

The Role of PMBMC

Over the years, PMBMC has operated Model Bazaars as hubs of affordability and consumer protection. With this initiative, the company is now taking a giant leap forward — evolving from market management to citizen-centered governance innovation.

Under the stewardship of Naveed Rafaqat Ahmad, PMBMC has ensured:

• The initiative is technologically prepared.
• It is financially sustainable and subsidy-free.
• It will be province-wide from day one, not a limited trial.

Such execution-ready innovation demonstrates PMBMC’s maturity and capability as one of Punjab’s leading welfare institutions.

A Landmark for Government and Nation

The Free Home Delivery system will not just benefit citizens; it will also earn widespread credit for the Government of Punjab. Analysts suggest that if successful, it will:

• Establish Punjab as the first province in Pakistan to implement digital doorstep welfare.
• Serve as a replicable model for other provinces and even federal-level welfare reforms.
• Strengthen public trust in government as a responsive and innovative service provider.

Conclusion: A National First, A Global Example

As July approaches, Punjab prepares to launch what could become a historic first for Pakistan — a subsidy-free, province-wide welfare service that delivers essentials cheaper than market rates directly to citizens’ homes.

This concept is not only unique but transformative: a blend of technology, financial prudence, and social vision. At the center of it all is Mr. Naveed Rafaqat Ahmad, whose leadership at PMBMC has taken a bold idea and turned it into an execution-ready reality.

When the first delivery rider knocks on a family’s door in July, it will mark more than the arrival of groceries — it will symbolize the dawn of a new era in welfare governance, where Pakistan proves it can innovate, deliver, and protect its people without dependency.