The Economic Coordination Committee of the Cabinet here on Thursday approved funds for relief and rescue of flood-affected people and also gave go ahead to Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) for Urea fertilizer imports.
According to press statement issued by the finance ministry, Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Miftah Ismail presided over the meeting.
The ECC approved funds amounting to Rs. 3 billion for National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to meet its growing expenditure on account of procurement of rescue, relief and rehabilitation of the calamity stricken population across Pakistan.
NDMA briefed the meeting that in the aftermath of devastation caused by floods across the country, millions of people have suffered in terms of loss of life, property, livestock and standing crops.
NDMA was tasked by the prime minister to coordinate with PDMAs and to proactively undertake rescue and relief operation in the affected areas, the statement added.
The committee while considering emergency situation, approved Supplementary/ Technical Supplementary Grant of Rs.540 million in favour of Utility Stores Corporation (USC) for provision of essential commodities in flood affected areas.
The meeting was apprised that the Utility Stores Corporation, in collaboration with provincial governments, is actively participating in relief operation for supply of essential food items in flood affected areas across Pakistan.
Due to emergency situation and based on the preliminary need assessment, 113,700 ration bags amounting to Rs. 540 million would be disbursed.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of National Food Security and Research tabled a summary for allocation of PASSCO’s local and imported wheat sock among recipient agencies.
It was briefed that PASSCO serves as a strategic organization to procure wheat from Punjab, Sindh and Baluchistan to build strategic reserves and to supply wheat to recipient agencies in case of emergency.
Every year, on the request of recipient agencies, PASSCO makes allocation of wheat from its stocks. PASSCO held wheat stock of 2.499 MMT, including 1.232 MMT carry forward stocks.
In view of above, the ECC allowed to supply PASSCO’s wheat among all recipients@ 50% local and 50% imported. However, USC will be provided wheat @75% local and 25% imported. All recipients including USC would pay full cost of wheat (local + imported) and incidental charges to PASSCO.
Ministry of Industries and Production presented a summary on Urea Fertilizer requirement for Rabi season 2022-23. The meeting was briefed on the demand and supply situation of Urea fertilizer for the Rabi season 2022-23.
After detailed deliberation, the ECC allowed Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) to initiate the process for import of 300,000 MT of Urea on G2G basis and decided the provinces to bear their subsidy share.
The ECC also approved funds requirement of Rs. 1,009,480,191/- in favour of Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation & coordination for further transfer to Government of Afghanistan through approved mechanism for running cost/salary of the staff of three Pakistani hospitals in Afghanistan.
Among others, the meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Commerce Syed Naveed Qamar; Federal Minister for Power, Khurram Dastgir Khan; Federal Minister for Industries and Production, Makhdoom Syed Murtaza Mehmood; Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal; MNA/ex-PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi; Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Dr. Aisha Ghous Pasha; Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Government Effectiveness, Dr. Muhammad Jehanzeb Khan; MD USC, MD PASSCO, Federal Secretaries and senior officers.—APP
