The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet has endorsed the proposal to increase the water usage charges to Rs 1.10 per unit for the AJK government on hydropower generation with the objective to give it dispensation similar to the provinces.
A meeting of the ECC presided over by Finance Minister Asad Umar was briefed by the Water Resource Division on the proposed arrangement for settling the electricity tariff and water usage charges issues with the AJK. An official said an agreement on political level to increase the water usage charges was reached during the tenure of previous government and now after the endorsement of a three-member committee, the federal cabinet approval would be taken.
The secretary Water Resource Division informed the ECC that a detailed arrangement covering all aspects of the issue has been worked out in consultation with the government of AJK and under the new arrangement the AJK would be given a dispensation similar to the provinces.
The committee noted that the proposed arrangement, where AJK would set up its own DISCO and would receive water usage charges at the enhanced rate of Rs 1.10/kwh, was based on the principle of equality and endorsed the same. The committee approved supplementary grant amounting to Rs 1,795 million for Temporarily Dislocated Persons from North Waziristan in the wake of the Operation Zarb-e-Azb.
In order to meet the expenses of Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD), the committee approved technical supplementary grant of Rs 202.637 million for CADD and Rs 12.409 million for Pakistan Chairs abroad. Additionally, the ECC approved supplementary grant of Rs 156.327 million for Ministry of Health Services, Regulation and Coordination and Rs 41.671 million for Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development. It also approved the demand of Cabinet Division to release technical supplementary grant of Rs 14,844,256.
The ECC meeting was also briefed by Ministry of Science & Technology on the status of operationalisation of Pakistan Halal Authority. The committee directed that the Prime Minister's Adviser on Institutional Reforms and Austerity, Dr Ishrat Hussain, should review the matter of placement of the Authority under the most relevant ministry.
Ministry of National Food Security & Research briefed the committee on the implementation status of decision taken by the committee last month for improvement of cotton crop in the country. The committee also accorded approval to the proposal of Ministry of National Food Security and Research to extend the export period of surplus wheat from PASSCO's stock. The committee also approved the proposal of Ministry of Industries and Production to allocate 66 MMFCD Additional Mari Deep Gas to PPIB for power generation purposes. An official maintained that the ECC did not take any decision on freezing of outstanding dues of PIA payable to Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) alongside later payment penalty.
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