20 January 2004	Tuesday	27 Ziqa'ad 1424

ISLAMABAD, Jan 19: Prices of 250 items available in the Utility Stores Corporation have been reduced between one and 17 per cent with immediate effect, says Minister for Industries and Production Liaqat Ali Khan Jatoi.

He said these prices would remain valid until March 15. The minister said this while announcing a special relief package at a news conference here.

Highlighting the need for stabilizing prices, the minister said the USC has also been directed to open outlets at the district level throughout the country to provide essential commodities to the people at cheaper rates.

He said the corporation has also been asked to ensure sufficient stocks of these commodities at its outlets, adding the package should benefit a large number of people. He said the USC prices were already lower than market rates, adding the package would further reduce the rates.

The new package, he said, envisages reduction in prices of kitchen items like pulses, rice and ghee between three to five per cent while rates of spices have been brought down between four and 17 per cent.

Similarly, prices of squashes and ketchup have been decreased between one and 10 per cent, towels and related material by 10 per cent while bath materials like soaps, washing powders and chemicals would be available at rates three to five per cent below their previous prices.

The minister said USC outlets in many parts of the country had been closed down by the military government because of heavy losses but the corporation recovered through better management and transparency.

It has, therefore, been decided to expand the USC network to provide commodities to the poor at their doorsteps, adding the move would also help generate job opportunities.

He said the corporation was not a profit-making organisation and whatever profit it earned would be passed on to the consumers. He said the relief package announced by the USC during Ramazan had been a success.

He said he would personally inspect various outlets in the next few days to ensure that there was no shortage of essential commodities besides ensuring and to implement reduction in prices.

He did not agree with the notion that a report of the task force on reduction of the prices of automobiles has been put into the cold storage by the government. He said the report had been submitted to the prime minister and would be taken up for discussion at the forthcoming meeting of the federal cabinet.