ECC fixes wheat procurement target at 8.25 million tons

The Econ-omic Coordination Committee of the Cabinet (ECC) has decided to fix the wheat procurement target at 8.25 million tons for the next fiscal year. The ECC has also imposed a ban on the export of onions. A meeting of the ECC held on Wednesday, chaired by the Adviser to the Prime Minister, Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, discussed the situation of the availability of essential commodities in the country and approved public sector procurement of 8.25 million tons of wheat at Rs 1,365 for the coming season.

The meeting decided that if a need arose 0.5 million tons would be imported during the year to cater to any shortages. The meeting also decided that an additional 100,000 tons of wheat would be allocated to the KP and 50,000 to Sindh from PASSCO to cater to scarcity in the provinces before the next crop became available.

On a summary moved by the Ministry of Energy, Power Division, for "1263.2 MW RLNG-based power generation project near Trimmu Barrage by Punjab Thermal Power (Pvt) Limited -Firm Gas take off", the ECC allowed the "GSA to be signed by SNGP on 'as available' basis with Trimm. The ECC also approved technical supplementary grant of Rs 451.681 million for Naya Pakistan Housing and Development Authority approved during current fiscal year as well as technical supplementary grant (TSG) of Rs 110 million approved in favour of the Ministry of P&D for Afghan projects.

The ECC approved TSG of Rs 5.9 million for capacity building of teachers training institutes and training of elementary teachers in former Fata, the GB, the AJK and the ICT.

The ECC approved Rs636.05 million as technical supplementary grant to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to cope with the locust threat all over the country.

The meeting approved an amendment to the Import Policy Order 2016 (SRO 237(1)/2019). The nomenclature of export-oriented industries clarified and the Finance Division would release subsidy within 14 days on the receipt of claim by Petroleum Division, the ECC decided. The ECC approved a Commerce Division summary seeking permission for commercial import of controlled chemicals by commercial importers, allowing acetone, anthracitic acid, ethyl ether, hydrochloric acid and sulphuric acid.