KARACHI: Reduction in prices at USs takes effect today
By Aamir Shafaat
KARACHI, Sept 24: Consumers will throng utility stores in a large numbers after the implementation of three to 10 per cent discount on prices of more than 1,000 items announced by the federal government which comes into effect on Monday, the first of Ramazan.
After further reduction in prices at the utility stores, the gap between the prices quoted by the city government and those offered by the utility stores will widen further.
For example, dal chana is priced at Rs30 per kg, Rs8-10 lower than the city government’s offered rate. Similarly, dal moong and dal masoor rate at the USCs are tagged at Rs53 and Rs31 per kg, as against the CDGK prices of Rs58 and Rs34 per kg, respectively.
The USCs will continue to sell sugar at Rs27.5 per kg as against its current market price of Rs34-45 per kg.
Basin will be available at USCs at Rs38 per kg while the city government has quoted its rate as Rs40-42 per kg. Chakki Atta, available in market for Rs17 per kg, will be sold at USCs at Rs11 per kg in a 10-kg bag tagged at Rs110.
Basmati rice at the USCs will be available at Rs33 per kg as compared to Rs35-38 per kg in the open market whereas Nido milk (1-kg pack) will be sold at Rs231 as against its normal price of Rs235-240 in retail market. Everyday 1-kg pack which sells at Rs235-240 will be available at USCs for Rs222.
Rooh Afza (Rs80) and Jam-e-Sheerin (Rs85) will be available at utility stores for Rs75.
Survey reports suggest that some operators of USC outlets have been charging ‘extra’ in violation of strict directives for compliance with the official price list issued by the federal government. At some outlets consumers are charged Rs5 extra on pulses and sugar packs while at some others, they force people to buy the items, with a big profit margin, either they need them or not.
Meanwhile, the city government has launched its anti-profiteers campaign by bringing 151 shopkeepers and vendors to book for overcharging one day ahead of the holy month of Ramazan amid widespread complaints by retailers and other traders that they have not yet received the official price list.
Although it not clear whether the traders have failed to receive the price list or they have deliberately been avoiding to get the same, the ultimate sufferers appeared to be consumers who would have to pay higher prices than the fixed rates for essential items on the first day of Ramazan in the absence of the list, issued by the city government.
The official price list is supposed to be placed prominently at every shop and sales outlet in the city.
For the first time since the price control exercise in Ramazan has been made a routine, the city government has issued a price list on its own and started distributing it free of cost. In the past, the list used to be issued jointly by the city government and the Karachi Retail Grocers Group (KRGG) and was offered to traders for Rs10 per copy.
According to the CDGK, the list has been published in a sufficient number and contains the telephone numbers of 54 complaint centres, EDO office, control room, DCO camp office and the Consumers’ Rights Council, besides the helpline.
Operators of sales outlets are bound to display the price list in full and original as tampering with the original list or using a copied list has been declared a punishable crime.
City government officials with magisterial powers have already started monitoring and prices and checking profiteering. Any violation of the rules and regulations with regard to the price control carries up to Rs15,000 fine and/or an imprisonment up to six months.
The city government has
advised all retailers to obtain the list from their association or the relevant CDGK office if they had not received the same so far.
Regarding the action taken against 151 sellers on Sunday, EDO E&IP Syed Abid Ali Shah told Dawn that they were found charging more than the notified rates. He said a total of Rs310,000 fine had been imposed and two of them were sent behind the bars. He said that fruits and vegetables at reduced rates could be purchased from the special outlets at Annu Bhai Park in North Nazimabad, Liaquatabad, Orangi Sector 11, Landhi and Gulshan-i-Iqbal during Ramazan.
While the city government continued to claim that the official price list had already been published, through in small newspapers, the KRGG complained that its members were perturbed over the non-availability of the list. Most retailers had been in the impression that the list would be provided to them by the KRGG as was in practice until now.
KRGG General Secretary Farid Qureshi said that the city government had not yet provided the list even to the association.
KRGG chairman Sufi Mohammad Akram said that people would find it very difficult to determine whether the prices claimed by retailers were reasonable or not as scores of Ramazan-specific items had been skipped from the city government’s price list. DCO Syed Mukarram Sultan Bukhari had claimed on Friday that the city government was endeavouring to persuade manufacturers and traders to offer for special concession on such items during Ramazan.
However, prices of many items, like tea, ghee, cooking oil, Rooh Afza, Jam-e-Sheerin, Naurus, etc., had already been raised phenomenally much before Ramazan and a discount of a few rupees in the name of ‘Ramazan offer’ would not be regarded by consumers a great offer.
