By Abdul Rasheed Azad

ISLAMABAD: Hours before Prime Minister Imran Khan’s announcement of the biggest relief package, the Utility Stores Corporation (USC), on Wednesday, increased the prices of ghee and cooking oil by Rs38 and Rs33 per kg/litre respectively.

According to a notification issued by the USC, following an increase of Rs38 per kg increase in Dalda ghee price now the Dalda ghee will be available at Rs392 per kg at USC against Rs354 per kg.

The Dalda cooking oil price has jumped by Rs33 per litre from Rs355 per litre to Rs388 per litre.

As per notification, the 5kg Dalda ghee will now cost Rs1,982 per tin against Rs1,795 per 5kg tin as the price has been increased by Rs187 per kg.

The USC on October 15, 2021 has already increased the ghee and cooking oil prices by Rs40, Rs109 per kg pack to Rs1,090 per tin.

Dalda ghee prices was increased by Rs109 per kg and was fixed at Rs355 per pack, while 10 kg Dalda ghee price was increased by Rs1,090 per 10kg tin from Rs2,500 per tin to Rs3,590 per kg tin.

Meezang hee price was hiked by Rs475 per 10kg tin from Rs2,885 to Rs3,360 per tin.

Planta cooking oil price was increased by Rs463 per 10kg tin and Manpassand cooking oil price was increased by Rs465 per 5-litre tin from Rs1,245 to Rs1,710 per tin. Later, Wednesday, PM Imran Khan announced a package to mitigate the hardships of the inflation-hit public.

Under the Rs120 billion subsidy programme, eligible families will be able to purchase ghee, flour, and pulses at 30 percent lower prices for the next six months, he said.

The new package comes more than a year after the premier had approved a package worth Rs7 billion for providing relief to the poor through the USC.

The package had included lowering the prices of essential edible items, including flour, cooking oil, rice and pulses.

At the time, PM Imran had said that ration cards would be provided to deserving families so that they could buy essential edible items at subsidised rates.

This article first appeared in Business Recorder