ECC okays recovery of Rs1.52 per unit surcharge from KE consumers

ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet has approved a surcharge of Rs.1.52/unit to be recovered from K-Electric (KE) consumers in 12 months, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

The cabinet committee meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, according to press statement issued by finance ministry.

Ministry of Energy (Power Division) submitted a summary regarding Quarterly Tariff Adjustments of K-Electric and informed that as per National Electricity Policy 2021, the government may maintain a uniform consumer-end tariff for K-Electric and state owned distribution companies.

Accordingly, KE applicable uniform variable charge is required to be modified to maintain the uniform tariff across the country.

The ECC approved a surcharge of Rs1.52/unit to be recovered from K-Electric Consumers in 12 months. The ECC further allowed release and utilization of available budget of Rs76 billion as payment of arrears under different heads.

The ECC considered another summary of Ministry of Energy (Power Division) regarding implementation of revised circular debt management plan and utilization of Rs20.726 billion to government owned power plants.

The committee after discussion authorized Power Division to utilize one-time full amount out of assignment account in relaxation of limit of using Rs4 billion per month during June 2023 for the next five months and to ensure that there will be no more payment liability to IPPs for the period July 2023 to Nov, 2023.

The ECC also considered and approved another summary of Power Division regarding release of Rs. 56 billion as approved under revised CDMP against the AJ&K receivables.

The committee approved Rs1,914.83 million technical supplementary grants for various ministries and divisions.

On Ministry of Commerce summary, ECC suspended Import conditions contained in Import Policy Order 2022 related to import of Timber/Wood from the date of issuance of IPO 2022 to 31st October, 2023 with direction to the Ministry of National Food Security and Research to review the import policy and come up with suggestions to settle this issue.

The ECC also approved another summary of Ministry of Commerce regarding amendment in relevant clause in the Import Policy Order 2022 to allow government agencies to import pharmaceutical raw material.

The ECC approved various Technical Supplementary Grants (TSG) including Rs567.120 million in favour of Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training for its development expenditure and Rs40 Million in favour of Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training for Cadet College Hassanabdal for need based scholarships to financially challenged students.

The committee approved Rs14.022 million as TSG in favour of Federal Tax Ombudsman for ERE expenditure; Rs19.236 million as TSG in favour of Ministry of Interior for Repair & Maintenance of Helicopter by Pakistan Rangers; Rs6.279 million as TSG in favour of the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports and Rs150 million as TSG in favour of Intelligence Bureau to meet its ERE expenditure.

The ECC approved Rs147.913 million as TSG in favour of Gilgit-Baltistan Council and its departments; Rs500 Million in favour of Ministry of Housing and Works for the execution of development projects and Rs470.26 million in favour of Ministry of Housing and Works for Repair & Maintenance of Supreme Court of Pakistan building , Islamabad and Judges residences, Rest houses & sub-offices in various cities.