Utility Stores: Prices of pulses send pulse racing

Rates increased despite govt allocating Rs6 billion for USC

ISLAMABAD: The prices of pulses and rice have been jacked up at Utility Stores despite the government’s announcing last month that it was releasing Rs6 billion to the Utility Stores Corporation (USC) to provide relief to the people.

According to documents available with The Express Tribune, the price of gram pulse has been increased by Rs10 -- from Rs130 per kg to Rs140 per kg.

Masoor pulse is now available at Rs127 per kg – up by Rs27 from its earlier price of Rs100 per kg.

The price of basmati rice (tota) has been jacked by Rs4 -- from Rs84 per kg to Rs88 per kg.

Similarly, super basmati rice is now being sold at Rs150 per kg – up by Rs25 per kg from its previous price of Rs125 per kg.

Prime Minister Imran Khan had approved the package after the chairman and managing director of the USC assured the government that with the injection of Rs6 billion, the prices of essential items would drop significantly.

Following the development, the price of 20 kilogrammes of flour was proposed to be brought down by Rs132, sugar by Rs9, rice by Rs20 and pulses by Rs15 per kg.

Rs4 billion diverted from BISP to utility stores

The prime minister had asked top officials of the USC to devise a relief package for selling five essential food items on discount across the country.

The premier had already asked for establishment of a ‘Special Cell’ in the Ministry of National Food Security for timely decisions about assessment of demand and supply of essential items

Last month, the government had diverted Rs4 billion, allocated for beneficiaries of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), to USC.

It was decided that the BISP would place Rs4 billion at the disposal of USC whereas the finance ministry would provide the remaining Rs2 billion.

The Economic Coordination Committee formed a committee for establishing a mechanism for the availability of essential commodities such as sugar, ghee, oil, pulses and rice at fair prices to the poor segments of society through Utility Stores across the country.

The a committee, headed by the adviser to the prime minister on commerce, textile, industry and production, comprised the minister of railways, minister of privatisation, State Bank of Pakistan governor, BISP chairperson, Finance Division secretary, Industries and Production Division secretary and USC managing director.