TAXILA: An acute shortage of wheat flour and sugar has erupted in the government operated utility store outlets in Taxila and Wah causing problems for the consumers.

It has been observed that following the significant increase in the prices of essential commodities, especially wheat flour and sugar, poor and middle class people have been thronging the utility stores to buy essential kitchen items at subsidised rates. But they have to return empty-handed as these items are not available in the stores.

The government is providing a subsidy on the basic food commodities, including flour and sugar, at the utility store outlets to provide relief to the citizens. However, people are facing problems due to shortage of these basic commodities.

According to sources, prices of both the commodities were lower in these outlets compared to the open market which resulted in a higher demand and shortage of the commodities.

Local people told this correspondent that after the imposition of the lockdown the prices of all essential kitchen items had witnessed a significant increase. The consumers criticised the apathy of the USC management towards ensuring the availability of the items.

Mohammad Zubair from Faisal Shaheed Road said: “We used to buy foodstuff at the utility store for the whole month and saved Rs700 to Rs1,000. Now we are compelled to purchase these items from the open market as major food items, especially sugar and flour, are not available in the utility stores.”

Noman Javaid, a resident of Lalarukh in Wah, said: “The government should close these stores for good as they have failed to provide food items at subsidised rates to the public.”

Flour and sugar millers after the lockdown increased the wheat flour and refined sugar prices and the government failed to check the prices, said Shamsur Rehman Swati, the president of National Labour Federation (NLF).

USC area in charge Mukhtiar Khan acknowledged that the stores were facing shortage of supplies.

“We are getting less supply from the warehouse in Islamabad which is why the stock of sugar and flour has vanished within a day and we are unable to meet the demand of the consumers.”

Responding to a question, he said outlets with upto Rs50,000 sale per day were supplied a limited stock of subsidised items.

Published in Dawn, June 24th, 2020