ISLAMABAD - The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet has allowed the export of 0.15 million metric tons of surplus sugar. The proposal of Ministry of Industries & Production for the export of 0.15 million MT of surplus sugar was approved by ECC with the condition that in the event of a rise in retail price of sugar, the permission to export would be revoked. It was also directed that it may be ensured that export proceeds be utilized by the mills for clearing the overdue payments to farmers.
Federal Minister for Finance & Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb chaired a meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet at Finance Division. The Cabinet Committee gave approval of the following Technical Supplementary Grants (TSGs) to various ministries/divisions, Rs126.848 million to the Cabinet Division for clearing the requirements of outstanding custom duties/taxes and Rs. 29 million to the President Secretariat to meet the expenditures under “Employee Related Expenses”.
The ECC approved Rs. 5,400 million to the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations & Coordination in favour of Federal Directorate of Immunization (FDI) for the immunization activity and Rs4.92 billion to the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs & Gilgit-Baltistan on account of salary & allowances, family assistance packages and social initiatives in education and health sector in Gilgit-Baltistan. It has approved Rs6,596 million to the Ministry of National Food Security & Research for payment of pending liabilities to PASSCO and Rs. 370 million to the Ministry of Housing and Works to pay the pending liabilities. The committee approved Rs332 million to the Ministry of Economic Affairs for developing Somali National Identification System by NADRA and Rs. 14,250 million to the Finance Division as rupee cover to facilitate the successful implementation of the Women Inclusive Finance Project.
It has approved Rs96.9 million to the Finance Division for the implementation of Audit Management Information System (AMIS) and Rs5 billion to Defence Division as seed money for Green Tourism Pakistan Project. The ECC approved Rs. 23.945 billion to the Defence Division against pay shortfalls for current fiscal year, Rs10 billion to the Ministry of Interior for the clearing of pending liabilities of ration for Headquarters Fontier Corps and Headquarters Gilgit-Baltistan Scouts and Rs. 0.6 billion to the Ministry of Interior for raising of 3 additional Corps Headquarters.
The ECC approved Rs. 9.576 million to the Ministry of Interior for National Academy for Prison Administration, Rs. 87 million to the Ministry of Interior in respect of Headquarters Frontier Corps KP, Rs. 4,637 million to the Ministry of Interior in respect of Civil Armed Forces for meeting the operational requirement and pending liabilities of ration and Rs. 168.834 billion to the Economic Affairs Division on account of revised budget estimates for FY 2023-24.
Furthermore, the proposal of the Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training to exempt HEC from Relending Policy of Foreign Loans/Credits to autonomous bodies was approved. The ECC also approved a proposal of Petroleum Division for release of Rs. 9 billion for clearing the outstanding claims of OMCs including PSO on account of price differential claims. The Cabinet Committee also approved the summary of Power Division for the repayment of Rs 82 billion finance facility extended to PHL by OGDCL. It was decided that OGDCL would also clear its liabilities towards GoP from the funds received through this arrangement. The meeting was attended by the Minister for Industries & Production Rana Tanveer Hussain, Minister for Petroleum Musadik Masood Malik, Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari, Minister of State for Finance & Revenue Ali Pervez Malik, federal secretaries, and other senior officials of the relevant ministries.
