The Government has increased the prices of wheat flour (ata), sugar, and ghee by a massive 25 to 62 percent at the Utility Stores Corporation (USC) with immediate effect.
According to the details, the citizens of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) will remain exempt from the recent price hike, while registered citizens will be given targeted subsidies on these commodities.
Furthermore, the authorities have cut the limit for subsidized purchases from the USC.
Beneficiaries tagged under the BISP scorecard will get flour (ata) at Rs. 40 per kg, sugar at Rs. 70 per kg, and ghee at Rs. 300 per kg. Meanwhile, these beneficiaries will also get up to Rs. 20 per kg discount on pulses and rice.
However, other citizens will have to pay the increased prices at the Utility Stores across the country and their monthly purchases will also be restricted.
According to the details, these people will allowed only 20 kg of flour (ata), 3 kg of sugar and ghee every month. Moreover, the USC customers will be required to verify their monthly purchase eligibility for shopping at Utility Store by sending an SMS to 5566.
Under the new rates, the the price of sugar has been increased from Rs. 70 per kg to Rs. 89, an increase of 27 percent. Likewise, the price of ghee has been raised up by Rs. 75 per kg to Rs. 375, while wheat flour (ata) price has been jacked up by 62 percent to Rs. 64.8 per kg from Rs. 40.
