Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting, Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan on Tuesday said that Prime Minister Imran Khan has approved a grant of Rs 7 billion for the Utility Stores Corporation.
Addressing a press conference along with Chairman USC Zulqarnain Ali Khan and Managing Director Umer Lodhi, Dr Firdous said the government has given a package of Rs 7 billion to Utility Stores Corporation of Pakistan to ensure provision of items of daily use to people at reasonable rates. The price of essential food items such as sugar, flour, ghee, rice and lentils will be reduced, she added.
A monthly subsidy of Rs 10 million will be given for these essential food items. This means that sugar and flour prices will go down by Rs 5 per kg each and prices of lentils and rice will decrease by Rs10 per kg each.
Cooking oil and ghee will be available at Rs 20 less than the market rate. The prices of at least 1,000 essentials items including cosmetics and spices will also go down.
The Prime Minister's aim is to provide relief to the people as the economy stables, Awan said while adding that this way the living standards of the people will get better. The subsidy on prices will be applicable to more than 4,300 Utility Stores Corporation outlets across the country. A "fair and free transport mechanism" should be created by the corporation, so that these goods could be easily supplied to consumers, Awan added.
She said it is a commitment of PTI government to provide relief to downtrodden and poor segments of society under the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Awan said the step is to create a society on the pattern of state of Medina to reduce sufferings of people who are facing financial hardships. Speaking on the occasion, Chairman Utility Stores Corporation Zulqarnain Ali Khan said flour, sugar, ghee, rice and pulses will be available to people at reduced rates under the new package. Zulqarnain Khan said restructuring of USC is being done on modern lines but no employee has been fired from the job.
He said the present wave of inflation is linked with high prices of commodities in international oil market. The chairman USC said ration card scheme will be introduced soon by the government in which USC outlets will play a key role. He said the Corporation aims to enhance its network from existing 4,000 stores to 10,000.
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