Ramazan package marred by unavailability of essential items in USC outlets

The Rs 2 billion Ramazan package, announced by the government, was marred by the unavailability of essential food items like sugar and flour at several Utility Stores outlets in the federal capital, visited by Business Recorder team on the first day of the fasting month.
Long queues in front of the Utility Stores shops were evident and the shop management members were repeating the same old mantra: 'wait, sugar, and flour would be soon available at the store'. Commodities of daily use had disappeared from the utility stores multiplying the woes of the people.
The government has set aside Rs 2 billion Ramazan Relief Package in the budget with the objective of providing essential commodities at subsidised rates to the people at USC outlets across the country; but few have been able to purchase the commodities at the subsidised rate.
There are 10 utility stores items in the subsidiary list announced by the government. Under the package, the price of gram pulse was fixed at Rs 67 per kg, Baisan or gram flour (Chaki) Rs 67 per kg, Moong pulse or green gram (washed) Rs 122 per kg, Mash pulse or black lentil (washed) Rs 128 per kg, white gram Rs 132 per kg, dates Rs 110 per kg, B1 Rice Rs 51 per kg, USC Rice 74 per kg, USC ghee/oil Rs 148/kg/litre and 20 kg bag of flour Rs 420. The price of sugar at the USC is fixed at Rs 55 per kg.
The Business Recorder survey found that not only sugar and flour, but also ghee/oil and squash items that were to be sold at subsidised rates during Ramazan were simply not available at Utility Stores.
The government's intent was to have a difference of Rs 15 per kg in the price of sugar in the open market and at the utility store while there was to be a difference of Rs 147 in the price of 20kg bag of flour between the open market and the utility store. However the survey could not evaluate the veracity of these claims as these items were not available at the Utility Stores.
It was also announced by the government that the essential commodities like sugar, flour, vegetable oil and pulses would be available at the Utility Stores. These items too were in short supply. When Business Recorder asked the reason behind the absence of essential food commodities from the store, a salesman said, "The government must know that proper management requires constant monitoring".
He admitted that many other items are also in short supply at the Utility Store. Consumers interviewed by Business Recorder expressed dissatisfaction over the administration of the Utility Stores Corporation and demanded that the government should take strict action against those responsible for the non-availability of daily use items.
Despite tall claims of the government and decisions made under Ramazan Relief Package, the government has failed to provide relief to the citizens in Ramazan, people from different walks of life said.
Meanwhile, prices rose even higher in the open market where there was no shortage of commodities. The minimum price of dates in the open market is Rs 140 per kg and these dates are substandard. Similarly, sugar was available at Rs 74 per kg while basan was being sold at Rs 70 to Rs 84 per kg.