ISLAMABAD, Dec 16: The Utility Stores Corporation (USC) has announced reduction in prices of 500 basic household items by three to 10 per cent under an Eidul Azha package.

The package would be applicable from Dec 17 to Jan 14, USC Managing Director Hafeez Ahmed told a press briefing here on Sunday.

He said the reduction was in addition to 80 items already subsidised up to Rs 60.

The products covered by the package include spices, pickle, tomato ketchup, kheer, syrups, custard powders, tooth pastes, detergents, washing powders and insecticides. He said the Christian community would also benefit from the package as it coincided with Christmas celebrations.

He said the corporation was mitigating hardship caused to the people by the current flour shortage and it had requested the government to increase its wheat quota to meet the growing public demand at the utility stores.

Replying to a question, he said the heavy rush at utility stores was because of availability of flour at reduced rates of Rs 13 per kg against the market rate of Rs19 per kg.