Prices for some items rise as govt announces relief package

The government announced a relief package on Tuesday to stabilize the prices of basic food items but rather then providing relief to the people it ended up raising prices for some items. Although, other items did see a drop in price as well.

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan said yesterday:

Utility stores have been directed to sell a 20 kg bag of wheat at Rs. 800, sugar at Rs. 70 per kg, ghee at Rs175 per kg while rice and pulses will be sold at 20 per cent reduced price,

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The Utility Stores Corporation (USC) has been directed to sell a 20 kg bag of flour at Rs. 800 while pulses are to be sold at 1 15 – 20 percent less price than that of the rest of the market.

Under this relief package, the price of sugar has been increased by Rs. 2 from Rs. 68 to now Rs. 70 per kg and in the same way price of ghee has been increased by Rs. 5 and now being sold at Rs. 175 instead of the earlier Rs. 170 per kg.

The relief package basically gives a subsidy of Rs. 2 billion per month to the Utility Stores Corporation (USC) for a period of 5 months with the aim of making daily use items more affordable to people.

SAPM Ashiq Awan however said that this would help to ensure the availability of sugar, flour, rise and all pulses at reasonable rates to the public.

Other than this, Awan said that more than 2000 youth stores will be opened in collaboration with the Utility Stores Corporation (USC) with these stores being part of the Kamyab Jawan Programme in order to create more jobs and ensure reasonable prices for provision of commodities.

USC will also be opening 12 cash and carry stores in major cities as well.

Awan also announced that the Utility Stores Corporation (USC) will also issue a ration card to before Ramazan which will provide a discount of 25-30 percent on essential items to deserving people.

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