ECC approve grants Rs3b for ‘Cabinet Division’

ISLAMABAD (APP): The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) on Wednesday approved technical, supplementary grants of Rs. 3 billion to Cabinet Division for development expenditure under SDGs Achievement Programme (SAP). The ECC also approved Rs. 844.389 million in favour of Ministry of Housing and Works for repair and maintenance of Supreme Court of Pakistan building, Judges Residences, Rest houses and Sub-offices in various cities, said a press release issued here.
Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar presided over the meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet. Federal Minister for Commerce Syed Naveed Qamar, Federal Minister for Power Mr. Khurram Dastgir Khan, Federal Minister for Planning and Special Initiatives Mr. Ahsan Iqbal, Federal Minister for Industries and Production Syed Murtaza Mahmud, Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Dr. Aisha Ghous Pasha, Mr. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi MNA/Ex-PM, SAPM on Finance Mr. Tariq Bajwa, SAPM on Revenue Mr. Tariq Mehmood Pasha, SAPM on Government Effectiveness Dr. Muhammad Jehanzeb Khan, Coordinator to PM on Commerce and Industry Rana Ihsan Afzal, Federal Secretaries and other senior officers attended the meeting.
The ECC considered a summary of the Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Division) and granted an extension in Adam X-1 development and production lease for a period of five years w.e.f. 10-02-2022 in order to increase the domestic oil and gas production and to reduce burden of imported energy. Adam X-1 Development and Production lease was granted for a period of seven years w.e.f. 10-02-2015, covering an area of 19.42 sq. km and located in the district Sanghar. The field still has potential for further commercial production.
The ECC considered another summary of the Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Division) and allowed one-year extended Well Testing (EWT) over Umair SE-1 Discovery Guddu (E.L) w.e.f. start of production under EWT arrangements. It was informed that an exploration licence (EL) was granted over Guddu Block in 1999, operated by M/s OGDCL. Based on the results of seismic data , OGDCL has made a new discovery in the Guddu EL from the Habib Rahi Limestone and Pirkoh Limestone by drilling a well namely Umair S.E-1.
The ECC also considered a summary of Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and coordination and approved increase in MRPs of one (01) drug as per recommendation of Drug pricing Committee. The ECC granted approval to a summary submitted by Ministry of Commerce and allowed TCP to carry on pre-shipment inspection of imported Wheat at load ports by its already pre-qualified six (06) International Pre-shipment inspection agencies (PSIAs) to ensure quality of imported Wheat as per approved specifications. It was informed that a number of wheat consignments are due in the coming months.
The ECC considered a summary of the Ministry of Poverty alleviation and Social Safety on subsidy for wheat seed (Rabi 2022-23) and allowed the provision of Rs. 8.39 billion through TSG in favour of BISP for cash subsidy to farmers of flood affected areas instead of provision of wheat seeds as per recommendations of the Committee. Further, the ECC directed BISP to initiate cash disbursement through its partner bank as per eligibility criteria and the amount to be disbursed to each eligible person identified by Government of Sindh.