Islamabad: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet, chaired by Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, convened today to deliberate and sanction several significant proposals impacting various sectors. The meeting saw comprehensive discussions on issues ranging from road construction projects to financial allocations for agricultural subsidies and adjustments in national gas supply priorities.
According to Press Information Department, the session was attended by a wide array of governmental figures, including ministers and senior officials from relevant ministries and divisions. The ECC authorized the Ministry of Communications and the National Highway Authority to proceed with the procurement of civil works for the Kalkatak-Chitral 48 km (Section-III) Road Project (N-45), under Public Procurement Rule-5. Another major decision involved the allocation of Rs. 238.42 million to clear arrears of wheat subsidy schemes from 2015-16, as recommended by the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue. This directive calls for the Ministry of National Food Security and Research (NFSR) to manage the funds from current budgetary resources to settle these long-standing claims.
Furthermore, the ECC reviewed a proposal from the NFSR to provide a Rs. 656 million loan to the Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (PCCC) for the payment of salaries and pensions. After deliberation, it directed that the PCCC should be considered for dissolution, and a case be forwarded to the Cabinet Committee for Rightsizing of the Federal Government.
In a significant move affecting the energy sector, the ECC approved a change in the gas supply priority order. The amendment prioritizes gas usage for industrial processes, placing it in the top category along with domestic and commercial uses. Conversely, industries utilizing captive power will experience a lower priority, aligned with the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) sector. This adjustment aims to better support industries reliant on gas for their operational processes.