Rs2 billion approved for PM's low-cost housing scheme

ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet on Wednesday approved Rs5552 million Technical Supplementary Grants (TSG) for various ministries and divisions.

The cabinet committee meeting, chaired by Finance Minister Hammad Azhar approved the revision of Minimum Support Price (MSP) of wheat crop 2020-21 at the rate of Rs.1800 per 40Kg.

The committee also approved the wheat procurement targets of PASSCO and Provincial Food Departments. Import of 3 MMT of wheat through Trading Corporation of Pakistan / GTG Private Sector was also allowed to meet the requirements of local consumers and build strategic reserves.

ECC allowed the commercial import of white sugar from India up to 500,000 MT till 30-6-2021 through land and sea routes, on the basis of quota issued by the Ministry of Commerce. The decision will be time and cost-effective and would also stabilize the prices of sugar in the domestic markets.

ECC also approved the registration of Pakistan’s “Pink Rock Salt” as Geographical Indications (GI) with Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC) to be notified as “Registrant”.

ECC also considered and approved the summary presented by the Ministry of Commerce regarding amendment in Export Policy Order 2020 to waive the condition of Minimum Export Price for single-use surgical instruments marked with appropriate and internationally recognized symbols/color schemes to indicate “single-use items”.

In order to boost the value-added exports in the textile sector, the ECC allowed the import of Cotton and Cotton Yarns from India to bridge the gap between demand and supply of the raw materials, required to maintain the surge of exports especially in the textile sector.

The import will be allowed through land and sea routes till June 30th 2021, until the arrival of the new cotton crop.

ECC also considered and approved the Addendum/Amendment to security package document of 660 KV HVDC Matiari-Lahore Transmission Line Project as proposed by the Power Division.

On the recommendation of the Ministry of Industries and Production, the ECC approved the issuance of Government Guarantee required against L/C facility of Rs.2,522 million, extended by the National Bank of Pakistan to Pakistan Steel Mills.

The following Technical Supplementary Grants were also approved by the ECC:

Rs. 630.808 million for the Federal Ministry of Education and Professional Training for the project titled “Establishment & Operation of Basic Education Community Schools”.

Rs. 370.762 million for the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training for meeting expenditure related to various Educational Institutions/Area Education Offices.

Rs. 600 million for “Award of Allama Muhammad Iqbal 3000 Scholarships to students from Afghanistan” by the Higher Education Commission (HEC).

Rs 128.7 million for the Ministry of Housing and Works for execution of development Schemes in the Sindh province.

Rs.2 billion for prime minister’s low-cost Housing Scheme.

Rs. 450 million for construction of new building of Supreme Court, Branch Registry at Karachi. Rs. 1.2 billion for Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission.

Rs.22.59 million for the Ministry of National Food Security and Research for making payments pending under wheat freight subsidy scheme 2016-17.

Rs.49.189 million for the Privatization Commission for meeting various operational expenses.

Rs.50 million to the Ministry of Energy for execution of gas development schemes in the Sindh province.

The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Interior Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special initiatives Asad Umar, Minister for Energy Omar Ayub Khan, SAPM on Power and Petroleum Tabish Gouhar, Advisor to the PM on Institutional Reforms Dr. Ishrat Hussain, SAPM on Revenue Dr. Waqar Masood, Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar Imam, Federal Minister for Privatization Mohammad Mian Soomro, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, Governor State Bank Reza Baqir, Chairman FBR Muhammad Javed Ghani, Chairperson OGRA, Federal Secretaries and other senior officials