Utility Stores Corporation

Utility Stores Corporation of Pakistan (USC or USCP) is a Pakistani State-owned enterprise that operates chain stores throughout the country that provide basic commodities to the general public at rates which are lower than the open market. Utility Stores Corporation is governed by a Board of Directors and headed by a Managing Director. The current Managing Director is Gulzar Hussain Shah.^[1] Gulzar Hussain Shah took the charge of Managing Director USC on 30 March 2016. Upon taking over the charge as MD, he has speed up the process of moderinizing of the Utility Stores and taking steps towards modern consumer and retailer methods.

History

Utility Stores Corporation of Pakistan was formed in 1971 by taking over 20 retail outlets from Staff Welfare Organization. It was created by the then Prime Minister of Pakistan Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. The organization have seen many ups and downs in its 40 years history. In 2001, the Corporation was nearly on the verge of collapse but due to vast expansion plan designed by its former Managing Director, a retired Brigadier from Pakistan Army, Hafeez Ahmed, the Corporation has inclined its operations, infrastructure, employment and vision. Brigadeer Hafeez left the Corporation on 19 September 2008 and a DMG Officer Mr. Muhammad Arif Khan took the charge of the Corporation. During his tenure, Muhammad Arif Khan took step towards imaging the Corporation as a modern retail chain stores by improving its network in urban areas. He focused on opening of Super Markets and Mini Markets which helped achieved targets. Muhammad Arif Khan was replaced by Mr. Sultan Mahmood as acting Managing Director in June 2011. In November 2011 Major General Malik Muhammad Farooq (Retd) took the charge as Managing Director. General Farooq brought the experience of managing Canteen Stores Department, any army created network of consumer items. General Farooq continued to modernize the Corporation and lifted the sales of branded items of national and multinational companies. He opened a number of super markets and mini markets on modern standards. In August 2014 Mr. Khaqan Murtaza was appointed Managing Director of the Corporation. During his period who took steps to remove corrupt officials and made the disciplinary issues his priority. In March 2016 Mr. Gulzar Hussain Shah, an Officer of Pakistan Administrative Services took the charge of Managing Director. After taking the charge, he has accelerated efforts to computerize the operations and functions of USC. Due to manual operations of the organization,^[2] and undetected discrepancies generated by its manual functions, the performance of organization is facing steep incline.

Organization

Utility Stores Corporation is a semi-autonomous Corporation which is controlled by a Board of Directors consisting of eight Members. It comes under the administrative Management of the Ministry of Industries & Production. The Chairman of the Board of Directors is an independent private executive. There is one member selected from the Ministry of Industries & Production. The Managing Director of Utility Stores Corporation is also a member of the Board. Two other members are selected from a public sector organization and one from the private sector.

Management

The corporation's Head Office is situated in Islamabad. The Managing Director is the executive authority of the organization, and he is assisted by a hierarchy of Management Offiers who assist the Managing Director in different departments. The main departments in Head Office are Merchandize & Buying (M&B), Procurement, Projects, HR&A, Finance, Franchise, Vigilance, Store Operation & Sales (SO&S), Insurance, IT and Audit.

Field Network

Utility Stores Corporation operated nine zonal offices all over Pakistan. These nine zonal offices are further operating 65 regions under their jurisdiction:

• Abbottabad - Abbottabad. Muzaffarabad, Haripur, Mansehra, Swabi, Gilgit, and Skardu regions.
• Peshawar - Peshawar (North), Peshawar (South), Upper Dir, Mardan, Dera Ismail Khan, Kohat, Chitral, Swat and Bannu regions.
• Islamabad - Islamabad, Rawalpindi -I, Rawalpindi -II, Chakwal, Attock, Jhelum, Gujrat regions
• Lahore - Lahore (North), Lahore (South), Okara, Sahiwal, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, Gujranwala regions.
• Multan - Multan, Muzaffargarh, Layyah, Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur, DG Khan, Khanewal, Vehari regions
• Sargodha - Sargodha, Jhang, Faisalabad, Khushab, Mandi Bahauddin, Toba Tek Singh, Mianwali, Mandi Bahauddin regions.
• Sukkur - Sukkur, Ghotki, Jacobabad, Larkana and Rahim Yar Khan regions.
• Karachi - Karachi (North), Karachi (South), Hyderabad, Mirpur Khas, Dadu, Nawabshah regions.
• Quetta - Qeutta, Chagai, Pishin, Loralai, Sibbi, Khuzdar, Killa Saifullah and Gawadar.

Major functions

• Provision of large varieties of goods to consumers at lower prices under one roof
• Bulk procurement at the time of harvesting, so as to pass rebate to the consumers
• Bulk breaking and packing of essential commodities in small packs at USC warehouses
• Large network of warehouses – 63 warehouses and 5,800 outlets throughout the country
• Penetration to rural areas through opening of outlets at Union Council level. More than 60% stores are in the rural areas
• Contribution to the National Exchequer through various types of taxes. USC is one of the largest Tax Payers in the country.
• Uniform prices throughout the country
• Support to the agro-based industrial sector
• Creation of direct and indirect employment and poverty reduction
• Provision of essential commodities to consumers at reduced prices at the time of shortage through subsidized operation

Special roles

• Food security during crisis. USC provided quick packages during natural calamities of October 2005, and during the floods.
• Intervention in market through sales of subsidized items
• Government relief packages, e.g. Ramzan package
• Market intelligence

Managing directors

References

External links

• Official Website of Utility Stores Corporation of Pakistan