The Utility Stores Corporation (USC) is going to open 304 more utility stores to provide quality and cheap edibles to the people of the country. These new stores would be opened by end of the current year.
Utility Stores Corporation Managing Director, Brigadier Hafeez Ahmad announced this while addressing a press conference at Peshawar Press Club (PPC) here on Monday. He said at present the corporation had 660 regular and 450 mobile stores along with 50 Sunday and two-three Susta Bazaars in the country.
The corporation, he said, had also invited applications for opening of franchise stores and extending the facility to union council level in the country. Furthermore, he said the corporation was also opening stores in Fata and Frontier Regions (FRs) to facilitate the people.
He said there were 25 stores in Peshawar while another store was opened on Charsadda Road to expand the coverage of availability of cheap edibles to the city people.
"Ramazan package has received tremendous response and we are considering over the suggestions and proposals we have received from the consumers," Brigadier Hafeez added.
He said that under the package supply to stores, which was 32,000 metric tonnes, has been increased by 15,000 metric tonne while 10 percent subsidy has been granted on the purchase of drinks and different pulses.
"The people making shopping of Rs4,000/- have to save upto Rs400/-. The managing director said the government had given a subsidy of Rs 1 billion under Ramazan package and the expansion of the network would further decrease price of the edibles. He said the government was taking measures for controlling the prices of edibles and for this purpose; it had imported sugar through Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) and also allowed the import of pulses to meet the shortage in the local market.
He said the USC had sufficient stock having no shortage of commodities. The Corporation, he said, purchases these commodities directly from the suppliers for minimising the chances of provision of low quality items to the consumers.