ECC likely to approve Rs50bn TSGs today

ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet, which is scheduled to meet on Monday (today) with Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in chair, will approve Technical Supplementary Grants (TSGs) of over Rs 50 billion, days before announcement of federal budget for FY 2023-24. Official sources told Business Recorder that Power Division has sought TSG of Rs 9.145 billion in favour of Finance Division under demand No.126 Development Loans and Advances by the Federal Government during CFY (2022-23). Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission has sought supplementary grant of Rs 4.898 billion under grant No.007.

National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has requested allocation of Rs 12 billion for procurement of relief items for re-stocking of its warehouses.

Petroleum Division has submitted proposals regarding import on foreign supplier’s account through Custom Bonded Storage facilities and approval of Framework Agreement between PPL and SOCAR.

Ex-Fata, Punjab, Sindh, KP: Cabinet approves over Rs7bn TSGs for uplift schemes

Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has sought funds of Rs 2.793 billion mainly to pay pending salaries of Radio Pakistan’s employees.

Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs has sought TSG of RS 48.429 million under grant No.078.

Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination has sought approval of fixation of Minimum Retail Price (MRP) of 54 new drugs as recommended by DPC in its 52nd meeting.

The ECC will also consider a proposal of Ministry of National Food Security and Research about sales of damaged wheat of PASSCO.

Ministry of Interior has submitted following proposals for financial assistance: (i) TSG amounting to Rs 470.827 million for payment of troops cost/ subsistence allowance to personnel of CAFs deployed in UN Peacekeeping Missions; (ii) TSG for project implementation letter of HQ FC (North), KP funded by INL-P; (iii) funds for construction of Frontier Constabulary Training Centre, Michni, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, during CFY 2022-23 ;(iv) raising of 6th Battalion of Pakistan Coast Guards under Prime Minister’s directive on Anti- Smuggling Steering Committee held on October 17, 2019 and task assigned by Prime Minister through PMDU and;(v) financial assistance to the Shuhada and injured persons of Swat incident.

Aviation Division has sought TSG of Rs839.129 million for PSDP project titled “New Gwadar International Airport (NGIA).” Ministry of Communications has requested issuance of GoP guarantee amounting to Rs9.5 billion for constructions of Hyderabad- Sukkur Motorway project on Build- Operate-Transfer (BoT) basis.

The Establishment Division has also sought TGS of Rs 120.450 million and Rs 140.6 million respectively whereas Human Rights Division has sought grant of Rs 116.449 million for meeting ERE shortfall in 2022-23.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023