ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed administration of Utility Stores Corporation (USC) to ensure eradication of corruption in the organization and ensure availability of essential foods items at subsidized rates following release of Rs6 billion.
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday chaired a meeting to reduce prices of essential commodities which will provide immediate relief to the people.
The Prime Minister directed that the supply of essential items should be ensured through use of Information technology and corruption must be eradicated at all Utility Store outlets.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Planning Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, Minister for Communications Murad Saeed, SAPM for Social Welfare Dr. Sania Nishtar, Secretaries and Additional Secretaries of Ministry of Finance, Planning Commission, Communication, National Food Security and Industry, Chairman and Managing Director Utility Stores Corporation, Chief Commissioner Islamabad and other senior officials.
The prime minister said that provision of relief to the people is the top priority of the government.
“We strive to provide special relief to low income groups and poverty-stricken families,” he said.
The Prime Minister said that in view of the challenging economic situation, the government took difficult decisions.
Due to these decisions, the economy is stabilizing today and economic indicators are showing improvement; the situation will improve further in the coming days.
Despite the difficult conditions, every possible effort to provide relief to the people will be undertaken, added the prime minister.
The meeting was briefed on the current situation of the prices of essential commodities (flour, wheat, sugar, ghee, rice and pulses) and measures to control them.
Chairman and Managing Director Utility Stores Corporation apprised the meeting that immediate grant of Rs6 billion from the government will reduce the prices of basic essential food items.
The prime minister was informed that the immediate supply of funds by the government would lead to price reduction of Rs-132 per kg in flour, Rs-09 per kg in sugar, Rs-30 per kg in ghee, Rs-20 per kg in rice and Rs-15 in pulses which would be made available for public consumption at Utility Stores.
The prime minister was briefed on the steps taken to curb corruption and embezzlement in the Utility Stores, and to ensure the sufficient and steady supply of essential food items to the public.
The prime minister was informed that it is being ensured that the purchased items at the Utility Stores are received at the Stores’ warehouses without pilferage for packaging and onward dispatch to the Utility Stores outlets.
The measures are aimed at ensuring the quality of goods at Utility Stores in addition to eradicating corruption.
Minister of Communications Murad Saeed said that in addition to a network of 4,000 utility stores, 800 post offices spread across the country can also be used to supply essential food items to the public.
He further elaborated that home delivery service will soon be started by Pakistan Post Office to supply items at home to the poor and the needy.
