Pakistan: ECC approves sugar import, supplementary grants for various ministries
The ECC, chaired by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, approved sugar imports and multiple supplementary grants. These include Rs 15.83 billion for the Defense Ministry, Rs 1.774 trillion for loan repayments, and smaller grants for Interior, Foreign Affairs, Police, and Petroleum. Gas prices for households remain largely unchanged, with a 10% hike for bulk, industrial, and power sector consumers.
Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet at its meeting chaired by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb approved supplementary grants for various ministries besides permission for sugar import on Friday.
The ECC approved Rs 15.83 billion grant for Ministry of Defense. The grant will be released for the payment of salaries, allowances, other dues of the armed forces, including dues under the Prime Minister’s package for the martyrs of the recent Indo-Pak war.
Rs 1774 billion technical grant was approved for Ministry of Finance which will be spent on repayment of domestic debt and foreign loans. Technical grant of Rs. 100 million approved for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, grant of Rs1.765 billion approved for the Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control. Grant of Rs5.2241 crore approved for upgradation of Islamabad Police Stations and availability of modern investigative equipment.
Grant of Rs10 crore was okayed for Frontier Corps KP (North). Technical grant of Rs 5.5 billion approved for Strategic Plans Division, technical grant of Rs 11.797 crore approved for Petroleum Division, grant of Rs. 25.457 crore approved for police and civil officers posted in Balochistan. Technical grant of Rs. 19.8 crore approved for repair and maintenance of Executive Building Islamabad.
Meanwhile, ECC decides to maintain gas prices for domestic consumers as only minor changes will be made to fixed charges for domestic consumers. The ECC approved an average 10 percent increase in prices for bulk consumers, gas-fired power plants, and industry.
The ECC also approved sugar import after considering the proposal of the Ministry of National Food Security and Research. ECC okayed the establishment of a 10-member steering committee for sugar import. The committee will be headed by the Federal Minister for Food Security.
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Source : 24 News
