2,900 daily-wagers laid off amid closure of USC

With the closure of Utility Stores Cooperation (USC), the federal government has laid off 2,900 daily-wagers in a single day,.According to sources, the Utility Stores Cooperation terminated them after a notification of their sacking was issued on Saturday (holiday).In the first phase, all daily-wagers have been sacked. Their termination letters were sent on their home address.Most of the sacked workers had been working with cooperation for ten years.In the second phase, there is a possibility that contract employees will be laid off. It is noted that the federal cabinet had formed a committee on Jan 22 with regard to shutting down operations of Utility Stores Cooperation.In August 2024, the federal government made the decision to shut down the Utility Stores Corporation (USC).Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sought proposals regarding the closure, and as part of this process, the government also discontinued a Rs 50 billion subsidy for USC.Additionally, in a meeting chaired by the Prime Minister, a decision was made to reduce administrative costs and streamline the state machinery, leading to the closure of 28 departments across five ministries.These included the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, the Ministry of States and Frontier Regions, the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications, the Ministry of Industries and Production, and the Ministry of National Health Services.The Ministry of Industries and Production also included USC in the privatization list in August 2024. The Privatization Commission hired a financial advisor, with plans to privatize the corporation in stages.