ECC approves Rs10b TSG for Digital Information Infrastructure Initiative

ISLAMABAD  -  The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet has approved Rs10 billion Technical Supplementary Grant (TSG) for the Digital Information Infra­structure Initiative. Federal Minister for Finance, Revenue, and Economic Affairs, Dr Shamshad Akhtar presided over a meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet.

The Economic Coordination Commit­tee considered and approved a propos­al of Ministry of Information Technol­ogy and Telecommunication regarding “Allocation of Rs. 10 billion through Technical Supplementary Grant during CFY for the Digital Information Infra­structure Initiative”. The funds will be utilized to provide requisite technical capabilities to proactively identify po­tential cyber threats on the national critical information infrastructure be­sides preventing cyber security breach­es. The ECC considered the proposal of Petroleum Division regarding “Re-grant of Sui Development and Produc­tion Lease”. The provincial government of Balochistan indicated its endorse­ment of the proposal, following which the ECC approved the summary. A sum­mary of Ministry of Maritimes Affairs regarding “Revised Fee of Issuance of Certificate of Quality and Origin and Other Certificates for Fish and Fishery Products under Pakistan Fish Inspec­tion and Quality Control Rules , 1998” was also approved with the directions to Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Maritimes Affairs, to explore further avenues of investment.

Ministry of National Food Security and Research presented a summary regarding “Extension of Farm Mecha­nization Scheme of Kissan Package” to the forum which was approved after detailed discussion. A summary of Min­istry of Energy (Petroleum Division) regarding “Amendment in the decision of ECC of the Cabinet regarding “Urea Fertilizer Requirement for Rabi Season 2023-24” was discussed in the com­mittee. The forum approved the pro­posal, which did not involve any sub­sidy implications. Another summary of Ministry of Energy regarding “Deed of settlement Pursuant to the Pakistan Oil Refining Policy 2023- for upgrada­tion of Existing/ Brownfield Refineries” was also considered. ECC noted that the settlement proposal suggested by Finance Division was appropriate and Petroleum Division may offer the same to the private party. Three summaries of Petroleum Division regarding “ Sup­ply of Gas /RLNG to Fatimafert and Agritech to meet requirement of Urea”, “Allocation of Gas from M/s United En­ergy Pakistan’s Mohar Field to SSGCL” and “Allocation of Condensate to Attock Refinery Limited and its Freight Charg­es Adjustment through Inter Freight Equalization Mechanism” were also ap­proved after detailed deliberations by the forum. The meeting was attended by Minister for Energy and Petroleum Division Mohammad Ali, Minister for Planning, Development and Special Ini­tiatives Sami Saeed, Minister for Com­munication Maritimes and Railways Shahid Ashraf Tarar, Minister for Infor­mation and Technology Umar Saif, Dep­uty Chairman Planning Commission Dr Muhammad Jehanzaeb Khan, Advisor to PM on Finance Dr Waqar Masood, feder­al secretaries, and other senior govern­ment officers of the relevant ministries.