ISLAMABAD: Utility Stores Corporation (USC) Managing Director (MD) Umer Lodhi Thursday said the corporation was launching its well-equipped mobile van service on April 10 (Friday) in a bid to facilitate people with daily use commodities at their door steps.
Addressing a news conference here along with Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, he said initially the service would be launched in federal capital and then it would be expanded the radius of its services to other cities of the country.
He said this service would help people to get essential items of daily use on subsidized rates.
Providing details about the relief package during lockdown due to coronavirus and the upcoming holy month of Ramazan, the USC MD said the prime minister had announced special package to provide subsidy on five essential items, however, during Ramazan, the subsidy would be given on more items.
He said irrespective of hike in price of wheat flour or sugar in the open market, the utility stores would provide wheat flour at the rate of Rs800 per 20 kg and sugar at Rs68 per kg.
Further, he said ghee would be sold at Rs170 per kg while a subsidy of Rs15 to 25 per kg would be provided on all pulses and gram flour (Besan).
Likewise a subsidy of Rs50 per kg would be given on tea and Rs30 per liter on milk, Rs25 per 1,500 ml bottle of beverages and Rs20 per 800 ml of beverages.
He said according to the PM package a subsidy of Rs2.5 billion would be provided during the holy month of Ramazan, however, in case of increased demand, the subsidy would also be increased during the month so that the customers could get all the required items on subsidized rates.
He pointed out that there was no shortage of any item in the stores and they were fulfilling demand of the customers despite increase of sale by 5 to 10 times.
He said the sale of utility stores had increased from Rs350 million per month a year ago to Rs8 billion during last month.
He said during last three months total sale of the utility stores was recorded at Rs25 billion.
He said sale target of the stores during the month of Ramazan was Rs30 billion.
He informed that at present 4,200 stores were operational while by next 15 to 20 days 200 more stores would be added to the chain and after Ramazan 300 more stores would be opened in various parts of the country.
Replying to a question, Umer Lodhi said after outbreak of coronavirus in the country, people were getting panic and they were buying more than their actual needs.
Earlier the requirement of wheat flour at the USC outlets was 2,000 tons while now it had increased up to 7,000 to 8,000 tons of wheat flour. However, he said this requirement was also being fulfilled.
