ECC allows govt agencies to import pharmaceutical raw material

ECC allows govt agencies to import pharmaceutical raw material

Islamabad (Web Desk): The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet on Monday allowed government agencies to import pharmaceutical raw material to ensure availability of medicines in the country.

The ECC, which met in Islamabad today with Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in the chair, approved this summary of the Ministry of Commerce regarding amendment in relevant clause in the Import Policy Order 2022.

The forum also approved a surcharge of Rs1.52 per unit to be recovered from K-Electric Consumers in 12 months.

Besides, the ECC authorised Power Division to utilise one-time full amount out of assignment account in relaxation of limit of using Rs4 billion per month during June 2023 for the next five months and to ensure that there will be no more payment liability to Independent Power Producers for the period July 2023 to November, 2023.

The forum also nodded release of Rs56 billion in favour of Power Division under Circular Debt Management Plan against the Azad Kashmir receivables.

Furthermore, the ECC approved various Technical Supplementary Grants (TSG) including Rs567.120 million in favour of Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training for its development expenditure and Rs40 Million in favour of Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training for Cadet College Hassanabdal for need based scholarships to financially challenged students.

The committee approved Rs14.022 million as TSG in favour of Federal Tax Ombudsman for ERE expenditure, Rs19.236 million as TSG in favour of Ministry of Interior for Repair & Maintenance of Helicopter by Pakistan Rangers, Rs6.279 million as TSG in favour of the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports and Rs150 million as TSG in favour of Intelligence Bureau to meet its ERE expenditure.

The ECC approved Rs147.913 million as TSG in favour of Gilgit-Baltistan Council and its departments, Rs500 Million in favour of Ministry of Housing and Works for the execution of development projects and Rs 470.26 million in favour of Ministry of Housing and Works for Repair & Maintenance of Supreme Court of Pakistan building, Islamabad and Judges residences, Rest houses & sub-offices in various cities.

The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Commerce Syed Naveed Qamar, Federal Minister for Power Khuram Dastgir Khan, Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Chaudhary Tariq Bashir Cheema, Federal Minister for Industries and Production Syed Murtaza Mahmud, Minister of State for Petroleum Musadik Masood Malik, SAPM on Finance Tariq Bajwa, SAPM on Revenue, Tariq Mehmood Pasha, Coordinator to the PM on Economy, Bilal Azhar Kayani, Coordinator to PM on Commerce & Industry Rana Ihsan Afzal, Federal Secretaries and other senior officers.