Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) has approved the disposal of five hundred thousand metric tons of PASSCO wheat stock through competitive bidding to manage surplus stocks, reduce carrying and storage costs and ensure price stability in the domestic wheat market.
Its meeting was held in Islamabad today with Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb in the chair.
The ECC also approved the provision of three hundred thousand metric tons of PASSCO wheat to the Food and Consumer Protection Department of the Government of Punjab, aimed at maintaining adequate wheat supplies for flour mills, stabilizing prices and ensuring uninterrupted availability of wheat flour to consumers.
The Committee considered and approved funds required for clearing outstanding liabilities of utility companies against the Pakistan Post Office Department (PPOD), authorizing the release of 10.98 billion rupees as a Technical Supplementary Grant to address long-pending payables accumulated over several years.
In the health sector, the Committee approved a Technical Supplementary Grant amounting to 29.663 billion rupees for the Federal Directorate of Immunization to ensure uninterrupted procurement of vaccines and syringes under the Expanded Programme on Immunization. The approval aims to sustain routine immunization coverage across the country, prevent outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, and meet Pakistan’s international commitments in public health.
The ECC further approved the sharing of subsidy on imported urea at a 50:50 basis between the Federal Government and provincial governments through a Technical Supplementary Grant of 23.42 billion rupees. Of this amount, 15 billion rupees will be released by the Finance Division, while the remaining amount will be arranged subject to fiscal space.
In the housing and development sector, the Committee approved a Technical Supplementary Grant of 1.9 billion rupees in favour of the Ministry of Housing and Works for meeting capital outlay under the Sustainable Development Goals Achievement Programme for execution of development schemes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa through Pakistan Infrastructure Development Company Limited.
The ECC also approved a Technical Supplementary Grant of 150 million rupees in favour of Cadet College Hasan Abdal to meet operational and developmental requirements and ensure the smooth functioning of the institution.
The committee meeting approved the distribution of confiscated solar panels by the Federal Board of Revenue to the Government of Gilgit-Baltistan, along with the associated transportation and distribution plan, to help address electricity shortages in the region, promote renewable energy solutions, and support public service facilities through sustainable power generation.
