Eco
The Ministry of Trade has unveiled new statistics regarding the food ration card system, indicating that the number of individuals covered by this program has reached approximately 40 million. These figures come amidst the Ministry's efforts to enhance services for citizens, as it is currently working on progressively expanding the launch of its new electronic application, "Wakily," nationwide, following a successful pilot phase in specific areas of the capital, Baghdad. In statements quoted by the official newspaper, Talib Hassan Ni'ma, Director of the Planning and Follow-up Department at the Ministry, affirmed that beneficiaries, numbering around 40 million individuals, can now access a wide range of electronic services provided by the Ministry via their smartphones. These services include essential procedures such as transferring or splitting ration cards, changing agents, and adding new family members to the card. Ni'ma highlighted the Ministry's plan to gradually roll out the "Wakily" application across all governorates during the current month. This nationwide deployment follows its successful trial launch in the Al-Mutanabbi Ration Branch, which serves vital areas in Baghdad's Karkh side, including Al-Mansour, Al-Yarmouk, Al-Qadisiyah, and Abu Ghraib. The application offers multiple features, enabling agents to instantly view the number of individuals registered under their agency, monitor additions, and any splitting or transfer operations. It also sends SMS notifications to citizens upon the arrival of ration supplies or any changes, and documents the receipt process through these notifications. Ni'ma clarified that the application serves as an effective tool for supervisory teams and regulatory bodies, facilitating their movement to address any system malfunctions. He confirmed that the Ministry will complete all service packages related to the ration card immediately after the application's widespread implementation. In a related context, Ni'ma addressed another crucial matter: the ongoing coordination between the Ministry and relevant authorities to finalize the procedures for lifting the block on ration cards for families of security forces personnel, a process that commenced this year. He reported that the Ministry has completed the unblocking of approximately 90 percent of the eligible cards, with a small remaining percentage for which the Ministry is working to finalize transactions. He noted that some personnel who visited the Ministry's headquarters complained about not receiving their ration allocations despite their cards being unblocked. Following a study conducted by the department on the names of these personnel, it was found that the three security institutions involved in the procedures – the Ministries of Interior and Defense, and the Counter-Terrorism Service – had not sent their files to the Ministry of Trade. Consequently, these entities have been contacted to request the submission of name lists to the department, in preparation for taking necessary actions. He also clarified that personnel whose salaries exceed two million Iraqi dinars are not included in the unblocking procedures, with the exception of those whose salaries are below this amount. Ni'ma urged any eligible security personnel who have not received their food basket due to agent negligence to promptly report the situation via the Ministry's dedicated hotlines, to enable appropriate legal action against those responsible. He indicated that an imminent meeting will be held with the concerned parties to finalize the necessary steps for completing this important file optimally in the coming days, emphasizing efforts to remove all obstacles hindering the completion of unblocking procedures, to ensure the delivery of ration allocations to all eligible beneficiaries.
