ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Advisor on Commerce, Textile, Industries and Production and Investment, Abdul Razak Dawood has reportedly lifted the ban on procurement in Utility Stores Corporation (USC), well informed sources told Business Recorder.
Giving the details, the sources said, as directed by the Advisor, Secretary, Industries and Production held a detailed meeting on October 19, with the representative members of CBA, Utility Stores Corporation (USC) to discuss and resolve their pressing matters.
The USC employees have been staging a sit-in for the last three days in D chowk Islamabad due to which commuters are facing massive traffic jams.
Secretary was informed by the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and General Manager (Operations) that the Advisor has directed them to lift the ban imposed on procurement of utility items by USC and to resume the operations, on October 18, 2018.
According to sources, Secretary assured the CBA delegation that the case of subsidy claim by USC will be expedited by the Ministry and the matter will be taken up with the Finance Division on top priority.
Furthermore, regarding the demand for re-launching of Utility Ghee, the Secretary, Industries and Production, directed the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and General Manager (Operations), USC to re-submit the report submitted to the Supreme Court of Pakistan to the Ministry, and the case matter may be redirected to re-launch the Utility Ghee brand in the market on top priority. The CBA was assured that administrative matters of this nature will take their due course of time, but will be expedited as top priority.
After these decisions were announced which were the primary basis of the strike and sit-in, the CBA, USC added further demands including regularization of all the contractual employees serving in USC and to increase the salaries as per the rules of the national pay scale.
The Secretary, Industries and production, assured the CBA, USC that such administrative and financial matters are decided by the Board of USC, and these cases will be placed before the Board once it is constituted by the Federal Government.—MUSHTAQ GHUMMAN
