Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Senate Standing Committee on Industries and Production on Thursday sought quarterly performance review report from Utility Stores Corporation (USC) and showed reservations on low annual sale as compared to the past years.

The meeting, held under the chairmanship of Senator Hidayatullah, also stressed the need for making appointment on the announced vacancies pending for last one year besides directing to modernise the management system of the USC.

While briefing the members of committee, USC Managing Director Sultan Mehmood informed that the annual sale of USC remained at Rs 80 billion in 2013-14, Rs 60 billion in 2014-15 and Rs 25 billion in first six months of 2015-16 respectively.

He said the major reason of the decrease in sale during the last two years was that the government in 2007-08 withdrew subsidy on sugar in light of Cabinet decision as most of the customers visits USC outlet to buy sugar along with other commodities.

The managing director informed the committee that USC has ensured the quality of commodities in sales and purchase, adding, “We have purchased commodities from credible national and multinational companies.”

He said that last appointments were made in USC in 2012 in PBS-16 after no regular appointments were made in the corporation, adding that currently, 3,412 daily wagers are working in USC, which is supporting staff in different areas of the country.

Sultan Mehmood said the USC paid Rs 35 billion in the last seven years in shape of taxes to the national exchequer.

Utility Stores Corporation (USC) has planned to open 1,000 new stores all over the country to provide essential food commodities to the population on reduced prices.

Sultan Mehmood said USC is operating 34 percent in the urban areas and 66 percent in the rural areas. “We are not getting any fund from the government or from any other side and we manage the expenses including salaries and other expenditure for over 14,000 staff members from our own resources,” he said.

The USC MD said, “We are providing quality food commodities on 5% to 10% discount rates as compared to open market.”

He said that now the corporation is passing under the process of modernisation and the whole system would be computerised across the country.

“We need more support from the government to compete with competitive private sector and facilitate the common masses,” he said.

Committee Chairman Hidayatullah stressed to streamline the affairs of new appointments and maintain transparency in the sales and purchase.

Senators Taj Haider, Khalida Parveen, Mohsin Aziz, Aurangziab Khan and official of Ministry of Industries and Production attended the meeting.