The Finance Ministry has failed to implement Prime Minister's directive regarding providing Rs 233.5 million to the Utility Stores Corporation (USC) required to open 100 new stores and 16 warehouses, it is learnt.
The Economic Co-ordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet in its meeting on June 6 had approved the first phase of 100 new outlets and 16 warehouses and, according to Dr Ashfaque Hasan Khan, Economic Advisor to the Finance Ministry, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz had directed the Secretaries Finance and Planning Division to provide the required amount within a week.
However, the directive has not yet been implemented due to one reason or the other and, what an official told Business Recorder, just a letter was issued by the Finance Ministry on Tuesday, but the amount has not been disbursed so far.
The official said that the government was also considering to reduce the number of unnecessary items and enhancing essential items so that the people living below the poverty could get benefit as well.
He said that Secretary Agricultural presumed that prices of pulses would increase in Ramazan, and suggested that the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) should be directed to import pulses before the start of the holy month.
USC Managing Director Hafeez Ahmad said that as the USC would receive the amount, new outlets and warehouses would be opened as early as possible.
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