More foodstuff to get subsidy in Ramazan

ECC approves Rs2.5 billion for sale of edibles at lower rates at Utility Stores

ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet on Wednesday approved a Rs2.5 billion Ramazan package under which 19 more food items would be sold at subsidised rates in Utility Stores during the holy month.

The new rates will come into effect from April 17. The prices of beverages will be reduced by 15%, tea by 8% to 10%, gram flour by 10% and dates by 5% in comparison with their rates in the open market.

The prices of flour, sugar, pulses and ghee, which are already being sold at subsidised rates at Utility Stores, will remain unchanged.

The ECC has also issued direction for the opening of more Utility Stores.

Umer Lodhi, the managing director of the Utility Stores Corporation, told The Express Tribune that 19 edibles were being subsidised during the holy month.

“The Ramazan package will remain in place till Eid,” he added.

A 10kg bag of flour will continue to be sold at a subsidised rate of Rs800. Similarly, the price of sugar at Utility Stores will remain Rs68 per kg.

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Lodhi said as per the directives of the ECC, 200 more Utility Stores would be opened within a month.

He added that the funds allocated for the Ramazan package might be increased if required.

“The ECC has lauded the performance of the Utility Stores Corporation during the pandemic.”

In a statement issued a few days ago, Lodhi said Utility Stores were ensuring the provision of basic daily use items on subsidised rates to its consumers, especially to those belonging to unprivileged sector of the society, during the lockdown imposed to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus.

He said sufficient stocks of sugar, wheat flour, rice, ghee and pulses were available with the corporation and swift action was being taken to address complaints of shortage.

Earlier this year, the prices of essential commodities including sugar, rice and pulses were reduced at Utility Stores after Prime Minister Imran Khan’s approval of a Rs7 billion relief package.

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Overall, a 5-10% special discount was given on over a 1,000 items and the price cuts ranged between Rs7 and Rs40.

The prices of ghee and edible oil were slashed by Rs30 to Rs40 per kg. Ghee is being sold at Rs170 per kg. The rates of pulses were reduced by 15% to 20% lower than the mark.

Later, the government had approved a subsidy of Rs2 billion per month for a period of five months to the Utility Stores Corporation for the provision of edible items of daily use to people at affordable rates.