Managing Director, Utility Stores Corporation (USC), Syed Taha Aziz Magrabi on Friday said that subsidy on essential food items at utility stores has been continued uninterrupted since January 2020 to provide maximum relief to the masses. He said that several brands have recently increased the prices of tea, milk and porridge but utility stores are committed to providing basic and branded items to the public at lower prices than the open market, said a press release. Taha Aziz said that at USC new prices of these items will be lower than the printed retail market price. It is worth mentioning that the prices of these items have not increased form last six months but in open market prices have been increased. The increase is being made in utility stores to improve supply and demand, he added. He said that other daily use items were also available in abundance at cheaper rates as compared to the open market including vegetable ghee was cheaper by Rs55-70 per kg, sugar Rs25-35 per kg and 20 kg bag of flour Rs430 across the USC countrywide network. Similarly, he said that the prices of other commodities including white gram were less by Rs20-40 per kg, gram pluses Rs15-20 per kg, lentil pulses Rs30-40 per kg and rice Rs20-30 per kg. Utility Store Corporation is also providing other 1,500 items at a subsidised rate as compared to the open market in order to provide maximum relief to the common man in the country.