USC outlets lack required stock of commodities

Most of Utility Store Corporation (USC) outlets lack sufficient stock of sugar and gram flour to meet demand of customers as a large number of people could not get the items when purchasing other commodities on subsidises rates, while the Ramazan Sasta Baazar became a flop idea established for provision of prices relief to poor people in the holy month.
A visit to different USC in Peshawar city by this scribe on Tuesday, many outlets were facing acute shortage of sugar and gram flour. Other commodities also didn't make a huge difference against the prices of open market at the USC outlets and franchises. Mostly people visited USC to get sugar and gram flour on a subsidised prices, but they were failed to save few rupees due to failure of USC managers to maintain sufficient supply all the outlets.
According to sources disclosed that it was also ideal time for the managers of utility store corporation outlets to earn more and more profit by supplying sugar to retail shops in open market. The concerned managers of USC stores are only staging drama of sugar shortage and selling the commodity in open markets, the sources added.
Many USC outlets have displayed a small notice in front counter that sugar will be sold to consumers on production of CNIC cards. The system was introduced to curb black-marketing and shortage of sugar at the outlets. Similarly, the city district government had also failed to provide relief to poor masses in the holy month of Ramazan, because people are complaining that no huge difference in prices against the commodities available at open markets. The CDA had established Sasta Baazars outside side Malik Tehmas Stadium, wherein no basis commodity of daily usage and other essential items were available, but a few push cart owners have occupied the bazaar.
People were complaining about selling of sub-standard food items at Satsa Baazar set up in Hayatabad, Ring Road, Saddar and other surrounding areas, where USC subsidise shops also lack a required stock of Sugar and gram flour. A survey conducted by Business Recorder on Tuesday also revealed that majority of items were sub-standard at Sasta Baazars, and were sold on higher prices. All the fruits were available at the bazaars, but of inferior quality and being sold on bulk rates.
The USC Zonal General Manager, Mehtab Banuri said that they have allocated specific quota for each outlets, for purpose, we are making arrangement with flour mills to supply required stock of flour to the USC outlets. "We are supplying more than 33 flour bags to outlets on daily basis", he informed, added that about 95 outlets and 40 regular franchise have been established in the zone.
"We required more than 1,20,000 flour bags to supply all USC outlets and regular franchise on routine basis, he informed. However, he said that the flour mill owners have also failed to manage the required demand due to excessive load shedding in the province.
Similarly, he said that there was no shortage of sugar, but we were supplied sugar under certain quota with minimum number of 50 to 60 packets on daily basis, of the out number of 50,000 to 60,000 sugar bags. Banuri said the packing of sugar in a huge quantity was also a difficult task due to prolonged power outages. He rejected the allegations that the concerned managers are selling sugar in private shops and warned that strict would be taken against those officials who are involved in this illegal practice.
"It was totally impossible to sell sugar in open market, because they had displayed complaint numbers at outlets and had established a specific complaint cell to curb black-marketing of sugar, while special magistrates also visit the USC outlets, he clarified.
The district Co-ordinator Officer, (DCO) Peshawar, Javed Marwat said that they are ensuring to control prices at Sasta Baazar to extend maximum relief to the poor masses in the holy month. "Meat and poultry products are available on subsidised rates in different Sasta Baazar," he added. He said about 10 to 15 percent subside has been given on poultry and meat products at Sasta Baazars. About the selling of sub-standard food items, he said that they had constituted special seven magistrates to check the quality of food on daily basis, and a number of profiteers, hoarders and violators were booked under the relevant section, he maintained.