The Rs2 billion subsidy to Utility Stores Corporation (USC) for Ramazan may not be providing ‘relief’ to consumers and instead ending up in the pockets of the retailer’s staffers, it was alleged on Saturday.
A Senate body accused the USC authorities of adulteration of food items stocked at its stores during Ramazan in a scam amounting to roughly Rs30 million.
USC Managing Director Sultan Mahmood came under fire during a hearing of the Senate industries committee, chaired by Senator Ishaq Dar.
Senator Illyas Ahmed Bilour, a member of the committee, accused the USC management for alleged involvement in providing adulterated gram flour (baisan) and other commodities at its outlets during Ramazan, in a possible scam amounting to Rs30 million.
Bilour, during the meeting, also handed over a packet of gram flour to have it tested from a laboratory and demanded that culprits working in USC ought to be taken to task.
The Senate body was shocked to discover that the USC had never tested its commodities to ensure that they are free of adulteration and health hazards.
“This is a huge scam that needs to be investigated,” Bilour said, adding that it was unfortunate to have a state-owned institution involved in an adulteration scam during Ramazan.
Checked, not tested
MD USC Sultan Mahmood said they “check samples of commodities to ensure they are free of adulteration” but added that the commodities are never tested at laboratories.
Mahmood said the USC itself prepared about 2,300 tonnes of gram flour at mills where adulteration is ‘out of question.’ Another eight hundred tonnes was purchased from the market which might have traces of adulteration, he said.
Members of the senate body expressed their concerns over the revelation, saying the supplied items should be checked randomly and tested from laboratories.
Ramazan subsidy
Mahmood said the government had given a subsidy of Rs2 billion to provide food items at subsidised rates during Ramazan but “more may be required.”
The commodities at utility stores were enough to meet requirements till August 20, he said.
“We have also made arrangements to meet any shortfall of food items at utility stores arising after August 20,” he added. He said the USC wanted to open another 2,000 outlets across the country that would cost Rs3.6 billion.
Of this, half the bill would be footed by the federal government whereas the USC would arrange for the remaining amount. The MD said that the USC was exempted from public procurement regulatory authority rules.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 7th, 2011.
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Assalam-o-Allaikum Warahmatullah.Not only in Utility Stores Corporation but even in the key departments of Pakistan poor,common and middle class related man's rights are always usurped and money needs to be spent on the poor,common and middle class man is always spent on the privileged or elite class persons on large scale to a great degree in Pakistan and if this said that "corruption and present government go together" shall never be wrong.
What is amazing is not corruption during Ramazanbut your amazement at this corruption. Do you live in this country or somewhere elese? The officialdom, the political and business elite, the top military brass and the guardians of public morality--the religious brigade, are all in it--unforunately. The Benazir income support scheme, the sasti roti fiasco of Shahbaz Sharif--incidentally, the two majir parties are totally beereft of ideas. For them, every problmem is a 'political problem' every atttempt to solve a problem a 'threat to democracy!' As far as subsideies are concerned, they do not serve the purpose for which they are purportedly intended. All The money spent on subsidies should be spent on concrete projects to increase jobs and enhance economic activity.
For God sake, enough is enough, you people in the Senate, National Assembly are only to debate and discuss and waste time in this stupid discussions. If you are capable then do something practical, but by discussing and debating issues in assemblies and doing nothing materialistic means you are incapable people.
Corruption is main part of Pakistani society. No matter what the govt was in the entire history of Pakistan there was water in the milk, stones in the pulses and rice, fake medicines and baby formula, bribes for getting basic services for a home, stealing of taxes/stamp papers when buying a home or business, stealing water and power, fake doctors and dentists, and the list goes on and on. None of the leaders of the country has ordered people to become the enemies of their own brothers. No rulers can force them to change unless they themselves decide to do it. However, the people have a justification and excuse for each of their evil habit. Most commonly used is when everybody is doing it then why should I not do and suffer? It is unfortunate but as long as the people accept these evils and practice themselves, it is only going to get worse. I have been to mosques in several countries of the world. No matter where we are, after the prayers we pray to Allah to have us do all kinds of good deeds. In my entire life I have never heard any prayer leader saying that “today we promise that we would not lie, cheat, profiteer, smuggle, steal or not commit any sins”. Always the prayer is “Allah you have us do this and that”. It only means we do not intend to change or improve, it is only Allah who should be responsible and make us do it! In other words it is never our fault, it is Allah who is responsible for all this.
Why am I not surprised