PESHAWAR: The federal government has failed to ensure supply of various essential food items to the utility stores, causing disappointment among the people.

During a visit to various utility stores in Peshawar, it was observed that a number of necessary commodities usually required in Ramazan were not available there.

The customers also complained that federal government had announced billions of rupees as subsidy on 1,000 daily use items, especially the edibles, but none of the essential commodities were available in the utility stores.

Vendors increase prices of fruits, vegetables in Ramazan

The employees of the utility stores were unable to answer questions of the customers, who were asking for rice, ghee, dates, black tea leaves and different varieties of ghee and cooking oil.

“We received 60 packets of sugar, 175 of dates, 120 of Besan on Wednesday and all of these items were sold out but next consignment could not arrive because the warehouse is empty,” a senior official told Dawn on Thursday.

He said that majority of the stores were running short of the essential daily use items but the federal government was not taking notice of the public complaints.

The official said that it was duty of the staffers concerned to provide all the things mentioned in the list of commodities to all branches of the utility stores but they were least bothered to do their duty.

He said that only Dalda ghee was available in some stores in Peshawar and that was also due to the personal contacts of stores crew with the company managers.

“We are unable to provide necessary items to customers. People should contact the relevant managers and supervisory staff to answer as to why they are reluctant to ensure provision of the commodities to the stores,” said another official.

Meanwhile, in the open market rates of rice, Besan and pulses were also increased with the start of Ramazan. The retailers said that rates of rice, beverages ghee and cooking oil were increased by Rs20 to Rs30 per kilogram.

Fruit and vegetable vendors have also started fleecing the customers by charging price at their free will. Melons and watermelons can be bought at Rs25 per kilogram while the price of apples varies from Rs100 to Rs200 per kg on the basis of quality.

The prices of onion and tomatoes have also been increased from Rs25 to Rs40 and Rs30 to Rs60 respectively.

Efforts were made to get version of the officials of Utility Stores Corporation but they could not be approached by telephone.

Published in Dawn, May 18th, 2018