February 25, 2006	Saturday	Muharram 26, 1427

KARACHI, Feb 24: The Utility Stores Corporation (USC) is now providing 550,000-600,000 sugar bags of two-kg per day for sale at its countrywide outlets compared to 200,000 bags two months back.

The government also raised the monthly sugar quota of the USC to 32,000 tons from 22,000 tons about four days back. However, it appears that the increase in quota has not provided any relief to the consumers who are still seen standing in long queues outside the utility stores in the city.

Sugar is priced at Rs27.50 at utility stores as compared to Rs37-39 per kg at retail shops in the market. The wholesale price of sugar in the open market ranges between Rs35-36 per kg.

Besides, the USC officials are still demanding of the customers to first purchase other commodities and then proceed to the sugar counter in order to prove their identity as a genuine buyer.

USC managing director Brig (Retd) Hafeez Ahmad did not accept the fact that the people were still suffering at the utility stores despite the two times increase in the USC sugar quota in the last over a month, which was 11,000 tons.

Talking to Dawn here on Friday, he said that there might be some problems such as long queues of customers in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad for a variety of reasons, but situation in other parts of the country had improved where waiting period at the USC had reduced considerably.

He dispelled the impression that the people waited for hours at the stores to buy subsidized sugar. “People are getting the sweetener in 10-15 minutes in every part of the country now,” he claimed.

“One third of the total population is now relying on the utility stores for sugar and majority of them belonged to middle and lower class,” he added.

Mr Hafeez pointed out owing to Rs10 a kg difference in prices, customers naturally opted to buy sugar from utility stores which had reduced rush at retail shops.

Replying a query how long the sugar crisis would persist, he said that the issue may remain hot for the next two months. “All depends on the sugar price in the international market. The hoarders and stockists will be bound to release their held-up stocks in the market when the world market prices come down,” he added.

He said that introduction of ration cards for sugar was under consideration to check the double or triple sale of sugar to a single customer and to prevent non-genuine buyers like shopkeepers from buying subsidized sugar. There was also a suggestion to bind customers to bring electricity or any utility bill in order to get sugar at the stores. However, both the schemes would take some time for implementation.

The USC MD disclosed that some employees were also found involved in malpractices. He said that 35 officials had been punished on charges of black marketing and over-pricing of sugar at the stores in the last one year and 10 officials of them had been terminated.

Currently, he said, 550 regular stores, 450 mobile sales points and 100 weekly bazaars of the corporation were operating in the country. Besides, 100 stores were in operation in factory areas.