Rs two billion ''Ramazan Package'' may be approved

The Econo-mic Co-ordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet in a meeting scheduled to be held on Thursday would consider and approve a Ramazan package of Rs 2 billion to provide 17 essential commodities at discounted rate at Utility Stores Corporations (USC). Sources told Business Recorder that a summary on "Relief Package for the Holy Month of Ramazan-2014" was submitted to the ECC of the Cabinet on April 7, which was approved in principle with directives to the Ministry of Industries & Production to bring up a fresh summary after adjusting quantities of commodities in line with amount of relief package in the next meeting.
The ECC also directed that the packaging of commodities contains in ''Urdu'' "Wafaqi Hukumat Ka Ramazan Relief Package, 2014" along with the sale price. Official documents available with Business Recorder show that the government would provide subsidy to 17 essential commodities during the month of Ramazan at USC. Around Rs 720 million would be earmarked for 120,000 metric tons of flour at the rate of Rs 6 per kg and Rs 800 million for 80,000 metric tons ghee/oil at Rs 10 per kg. In addition Rs 50 per pack subsidy would be provided for black tea. Subsidy on other essentials would include Rs 10 per kg subsidy on Daal Chana, Daal Moong, Daal Mash, Daal Mash-washed, Basin, white gram, dates, rice syrups etc.
Additionally, the USC would also reduce prices by narrowing its own margin so as to provide further relief to the consumers. Prices of more than 1,000 food and non-food items under different brand names will also be reduced from five to 10 percent by obtaining special discount from the vendors/suppliers and narrowing USC''s own profit margin.
The Ramazan Relief Package 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 were approved by the ECC of the Cabinet. The amount of subsidy is still payable to USC in connection with Ramazan Relief Package 2011, 2012 and 2013, which is essentially required by the USC for procurement of stocks for consumption in the forthcoming month of Ramazan.
The ECC was informed that during Ramazan 2013, the USC spent an amount of Rs 10 million out of its own budget. This year too an amount of Rs 10 million is expected to be spent by the Corporation for awareness campaign in the print media. The ECC would be requested for approval of Rs 2 billion for 2014 Ramazan Relief Package 2014, as well as release of Rs 1 billion from the outstanding previous years'' Ramazan subsidies. The effective date of the Ramazan Relief Package is proposed to be June 23, 2014, as Ramazan is likely to commence on July 1, 2014.