ISLAMABAD: The Utility Stores Corporation (USC) announced on Saturday that 19 edible items — including rice, pulses, cooking oil, grams, gram flour (besan), sugar, dates and juices — will be available at its outlets from Sunday (today) at discounted rates.

The Economic Coordination Committee of the cabinet had approved the Rs2 billion Ramazan relief package on Friday.

The government will provide a subsidy of Rs4 per kg on wheat flour, Rs5 on sugar, Rs15 on ghee, Rs10 on cooking oil, Rs20 on gram pulse, Rs15 on moong, Rs10 on mash pulse, Rs10 on masoor, Rs25 on white gram, Rs20 on gram flour, Rs30 on dates, Rs15 on basmati rice, Rs15 on sela rice and Rs15 on broken rice, Rs15 on squashes and syrups (1,500 ml), Rs10 on squashes and syrups (800 ml), Rs50 on black tea, Rs15 per litre on Milk Pack and 10 per cent relief on spices.

Relief being provided under a Rs2bn Ramazan package

A spokesman of the USC said that some items had been delivered at the utility stores and the remaining would be supplied very soon.

Smooth supply of all commodities across the country would be ensured during Ramazan, he added.

Meanwhile, employees of the USC, who had set up a protest camp outside its head office in Blue Area, had been assured by its management that their demands would be met.

Addressing the employees, senior USC officers said that the management was committed to providing relief to the general public during Ramazan by playing its role as a price moderator and deterrent to profiteering, hoarding and black-marketing.

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2019