Utility stores had been set up by the government to offer cheap prices on necessities. But the costs at utility stores are higher than on the free market.
According to official records, utility stores charge far more for necessities than they do for goods that may be purchased on the free market.
Details indicate that the utility stores charge far more for wheat, sugar, and other necessities than what is available on the free market.
For example, the price of a 20-kg bag of flour is 134 rupees higher than what is available in the market.
In the open market, a 20-kg bag of wheat costs Rs 2706.32, while in utility stores, customers pay Rs 2840.
In the same vein, the utility stores charge Rs 48, Rs 12, Rs 21, and Rs 51 more per kilogram for Dal Channa, sugar, Safaid Chana, and Sella rice than the public market.