ISLAMABAD-The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet on Monday has approved various supplementary grants and also approved Rs. 12 billion for procurement of relief items to restock/replenish its reserves in order to be better prepared to respond to any impending disaster.
The ECC meeting, which was chaired by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, has considered a summary of Ministry of Communications and accorded approval for issuance of GoP guarantee amounting to Rs. 9,500 million for the project of construction of Hyderabad-Sukkur motorway on build-operate-transfer basis. The ECC also considered a summary of National Disaster Management Authority and approved Rs. 12 billion for procurement of relief items to restock/replenish its reserves in order to be better prepared to respond to any impending disaster.
The ECC considered a summary of the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination and after detailed discussion approved fixation of maximum retail prices (MRPs) of 49 new drugs on the basis of being lower as compared to their prices in the neighboring countries. These are drugs which are being introduced in Pakistan for the first time mostly at prices considerably lower than the region. The ECC has also approved technical supplementary grants (TSG) of Rs. 839.129 million in favor of the project titled “New Gwadar International Airport (NIGA) of Ministry of Aviation, Rs. 120.450 million TSG in favor of Establishment Division for the CFY 2022-23 to meet shortfall of ERE and Non-ERE components and Rs. 140, 584, 175 /- as TSG in favor of Establishment Division for Payment to Govt. Departments for Services Rendered from various sources. The ECC has also approved Rs. 116.499 as TSG million in favor of the Ministry of Human Rights for meeting the shortfall in essential expenditures in different organizations working under the Ministry and Rs. 700 million as TSG in favor of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to meet the shortfall during CFY 2022-23.
The ECC has approved Rs. 48 million TSG in favor of Ministry of Interior for release of funds to HQ Frontier Corps (North) KP, for construction of FATA Levies Centre at Shakas Peshawar, Rs. 470.827 as TSG million in favor of Ministry of Interior for the payment of troops cost/subsistence allowance to personnel of Civil Armed Forces deployed in UN Peacekeeping Missions and approved a summary of Ministry of Interior for release of funds of Rs. 66.336 million as TSG for the construction of Frontier Constabulary Training Center, Michni, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The funds have been granted in aid to Pakistan by the USA for capacity building of Civil Armed forces.
The committee has approved Rs. 347.99 million as TSG in favor of Ministry of Interior to complete the raising process of 6th Battalion of Pakistan Post Guards for anti-smuggling purpose and Rs.1,251374,153/- as TSG in favor of Ministry of Interior for FATA Temporary Displaced Persons Emergency Recovery Project (TDP-ERP) of NADRA to serve the vulnerable families, affected by military operations, Rs. 49.5 million as TSG in favor of Ministry of Interior for further disbursement of amount as financial assistance for the families of Shuhada and injured persons of Swat terrorism incident and Rs. 9,145 million as TSG TSG in favor of Power Division for execution of 2x660 MW Coal fired Power project Jamshoro. The ECC has approved Rs. 48.429 million TSG in favor of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs to meet its ERE shortfall, Rs. 1422.394 million as TSG in favor of the Pakistan Atomic Energy commission to meet its ERE shortfall, Rs. 110.653 million as TSG in favor of National Counter Terrorism Authority to strengthen NACTA within its current mandate, Rs. 5,252 as TSG million in favour of Ministry of Defence for meeting ERE shortfall and Rs. 402.251 billion as TSG in favour of EAD for debt servicing for foreign loans and credits. Federal Minister for Industries and Production Syed Murtaza Mahmud, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, MNA/Ex-PM, Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Dr. Aisha Ghous Pasha, Minister of State for Petroleum Musadik Masood Malik, SAPM on Finance Tariq Bajwa, SAPM on Revenue Tariq Mehmood Pasha, federal secretaries and other senior officers attended the meeting.