ISLAMABAD: In the year 2017-18 Utility Stores Corporation of Pakistan (USC) was a loss making entity as it had a total inventory of Rs.5.64 billion in its warehouses and stores. With such a low level of inventory, USC was not able to achieve its break-even. Moreover, the accumulated loss of the Corporation was Rs.6.634 billion while vendors' payments of worth 10.283 billion were payable.

If we compare performance of USC in this government with the performance of USC in previous government, it would be evident that due to negligence and political hiring, USC was a loss making entity and a burden on national exchequer. As USC is the largest chain of retail stores network across the country and has always responded quickly in providing relief to the people of Pakistan ensuring food security, the Prime Minister, on seeing potential in the Corporation launched the Prime Minister's Relief Package on January 8, 2020.

In this Relief Package, a special grant of Rs. 5 billion was provided for purchase of goods and Rs. 1 billion was granted in terms of subsidy to be delivered to common people. From the awarded subsidy, not only people get relief, the performance of USC also improved significantly. The proof of improved performance is supported by facts as USC had monthly sales of Rs. 300 million in the previous government and now it has started selling more than Rs. 6 billion a month and the debt owed by the corporation has also been settled gradually.

In the first phase of the Prime Minister's Relief Package, the federal government announced subsidies on five basic food items namely sugar, ghee, flour, pulses and rice, which continued till April 17, 2020. The federal government has expanded the scope of the Prime Minister's Relief Package during the month of Ramadan by announcing subsidy on 19 products including five basic items (Sugar, Wheat Flour, Ghee, Pulses and Rice).

During the month of Ramadan, under the Ramadan Relief Package, USC achieved benchmark of Rs.22 billion sales, ever highest in its history. PTI led Government not only provided relief to the people through Ehsaas Program but also gave relief through USC by providing subsidy on staple food items.

USC, despite the spread of Covid-19 from January, 2020 to April, 2020 ensured availability of quality food items to the people in large quantity and successfully completed the Prime Minister's Relief Package. Also, USC served 29.8 million households during the period from January-June, 2020. The stocks inventory of the Corporation has also increased from Rs.5.6 billion as on June 30, 2018 to Rs.15 billion as on May 30, 2020 whereas sale of the USC has increased from Rs.9 billion in FY 2018-19 to Rs.50.832 billion in FY 2019-20 and vendor's liabilities are also decreased from Rs.10.283 billion as on June 30, 2018 to Rs.3.491 billion on June 30, 2020.-PR

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020