ISLAMABAD, March 20 (APP):Finance Minister Asad Umar on Wednesday chaired the meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee of the Cabinet (ECC). The Committee was briefed by the Water Resource Division on the proposed arrangement for settling the electricity tariff and water usage charges issues with AJK, said a statement issued by Ministry of Finance here.
The Secretary Water Resource Division stated that a detailed arrangement,
covering all aspects of the issue, had been worked out in consultation with
the Government of AJK. Under the new arrangement, AJK would be given a
dispensation similar to the Provinces, he added.
The Committee noted that the proposed arrangement, where AJK would set up
its own DISCO and would receive Water Usage Charges at the enhanced rate
of Rs.1.10/kwh was based on the principle of equality and endorsed the same.
It approved supplementary grant amounting to Rs.1795 million, for Temporarily Dislocated Persons from North Waziristan in the wake of Operation Zarb-e-Azb.
In order to meet the expenses of Capital Administration and Development
Division (CADD), the Committee approved Technical Supplementary Grant
of Rs.202.637 million for CADD and Rs.12.409 million for Pakistan Chairs
Abroad.
Similarly, it approved Supplementary Grant of Rs.156.327 million for
Ministry of Health Services, Regulation and Coordination and Rs.41.671
million for Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource
Development. It also approved the demand of Cabinet Division to release
Technical Supplementary Grant of Rs.14,844,256/- million.
The Committee was briefed by Ministry of Science and Technology on
the status of operationalisation of Pakistan Hilal Authority.
The Committee directed that the Prime Minister’s Adviser on Institutional
Reforms and Austerity, Dr. Ishrat Hussain, should review the matter of
placement of the Authority under the most relevant Ministry.
Ministry of National Food Security and Research briefed the Committee
on the implementation status of decision taken by the Committee the last
month for improvement of cotton crop in the country.
The Committee also accorded approval to the proposal of Ministry of
National Food Security and Research to extend the export period of
surplus wheat from PASSCO’s stock.
The Committee approved the proposal of Ministry of Industries and
Production to allocate 66 MMFCD Additional Mari Deep Gas to PPIB
for power generation purposes.
