OBSERVER REPORT
ISLAMABAD Following the increase in petroleum goods prices, the government did not stop there and dropped another bomb of price hike as it raised the prices of the dail use items at Utility Stores.As the New Year kicks off the new wave of inflation engulfed the poor people and the utility stores which were established to relieve the people has increased the prices of essential food items. The prices of ghee has been increased by Rs 14 per kg, cooking oil Rs 24 per kg, Dal Chana Rs 25 per kg, Dal Masoor Rs 27 per kg and rice jumped with Rs 25 per kg. While, along with the increase some essential items- red chilli, sugar, flour and grams- have vanished from the racks of the stores. Meanwhile, the Punjab Flour Mills Association has increased the price of flour by Rs 4 per kilogramme. A kilogramme of flour will now cost Rs 64. A resident complained that some shopkeepers were selling their old flour stocks at the new price. On the other hand, flour mill owners said that they had to increase the price due to the rise in wheat, petrol and electricity prices
