ISLAMABAD  -  The ECC of the Cabinet on Wednesday approved several key proposals across various sectors. Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb chaired the meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee. The ECC reviewed a summary from the Ministry of Communications concerning the “Kalkatak- Chitral 48 km (Section-III) Road Project (N-45) - Procurement of Civil Works” and authorized the Ministry of Communications and the National Highway Authority to proceed with the procurement of civil works as per Public Procurement Rule-5.

The ECC considered a proposal for provision of funds amounting to Rs. 238.42 million, for clearing arrears of wheat subsidy schemes 2015-16, by the Ministry of National Food Security and Research (NFSR). ECC took into account the recommendations of the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue, and directed the Ministry to arrange the funds through the available budgetary resources and settle the long pending claims. On a proposal of the Ministry of National Food Security and Research for a loan of Rs. 656 million to the PCCC to enable the organization to pay salaries and pensions to its employees, the ECC deliberated on the rationale and decided that this entity should be considered for wound-up. It was therefore directed that a case be submitted to the Cabinet Committee for Rightsizing of the federal government.

Lastly, the ECC considered a summary from the Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Division) regarding a change in the gas supply priority order. The ECC approved the proposal to amend the existing gas allocation priority by placing gas use for industrial processes in the first priority alongside domestic and commercial sectors, while gas use for industries using captive power was relegated to a lower priority alongside the CNG sector. This measure would facilitate the industry using gas in it’s processes, as they would be included in the top priority category. The meeting was attended by Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan, Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal, Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari, Minister for Petroleum Mussadiq Masood Malik, Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Privatisation Abdul Aleem Khan, Minister for Industries and Production Rana Tanveer Hussain, Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Ali Pervaiz Malik, deputy chairman Planning Commission, governor SBP, and chairman SECP, federal secretaries, and senior officers.