ECC approves Rs 7.6 billion Ramazan Relief Package

ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) chaired by Abdul Hafeez Shaikh on Wednesday approved Rs 7.6 billion Ramazan Relief Package, ARY NEWS reported.

The ECC meeting  had last year approved Rs 2.5 billion Ramazan Relief Package.

The Ministry of Industries and Production had forwarded a summary of the package to the ECC for approval.

Under Rs 7.6 billion Ramazan relief package a subsidy of around Rs40 per kilogram has been given on sugar, ghee and wheat flour.

The sources said that the average Ramazan relief package over the past 10 years had been between Rs1.5 billion to Rs2.5bn.

The relief package includes reduction in prices of 14 essential items by 10 to 15 per cent at the Utility Stores.

Currently, the subsidised sale of wheat flour, sugar, banaspati ghee, rice and three pulses — gram pulse, moong and maash — has continued since January 8 this year under the government’s special relief package.

Ghee and oil prices are ranging between Rs250 and Rs300 per kg/litre for different brands in open markets, but the rates at the Utility Stores were around Rs170 and Rs175 per kg/litre, respectively.

The Ramazan package will commence on April 1 and it will continue for 45 days.