ISLAMABAD: A special meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet has approved Rs17 billion technical supplementary grant to finance the schemes under Sustainable Development Goals (SAP) Achievement Program.
The meeting of the ECC virtually presided over by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday was put up a summary by the Cabinet Division that during the fiscal year 2022-23, Rs70.00 billion have been allocated for development expenditures of the Cabinet Division in respect of sustainable development goals achievement programe. These funds will be released on the recommendations of the SAP steering committee to the concerned federal ministries and divisions and provincial government for execution of schemes as per guidelines approved by the federal cabinet.
The Cabinet Division further stated that the Steering Committee on SAP, in its 29th meeting, held on 12th October 2022, discussed that there were a number of schemes of the deprived areas yet to be financed under the SAP and there was a requirement of additional allocation of funds and Federal Minister for Planning and Development stated that the additional funds to the tune or Rs17 billion could be arranged if desired by the Steering Committee.
SAP reverted to Cabinet Division
The Steering Committee directed the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives to surrender Rs17 billion for fiscal year 2022-23 in favour of the Cabinet Division to finance schemes of areas deprived so far. The meeting was informed that accordingly, the Ministry of Planning, Development on 14th October 2022, has surrendered Rs17 billion in favour of the Cabinet Division’s development Expenditure.
The ECC also approved Rs3.2 billion TSG for Ministry of National Food Security and Research after it was requested for provision of additional fund and transfer of approved budget for procurement of wheat seed to flood affected farmers. The meeting was requested that an amount of Rs3.2 billion may be approved under TSG and subsequent transferred to National Disaster Management Authority for procurement and distribution of seed to various districts as identified by respective provinces.
The ECC was told that additional funds to the tune of Rs3.4 billion will also be made available to the Ministry of National Food Security and Research subsequently and 50 per cent of funds would be provided by the federal government and 50 per cent by provincial governments. The meeting deferred summary seeking funds to conduct 7th population and housing census in the country.
The meeting was attended by the Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Tariq Bashir Cheema, Federal Minister for Commerce Syed Naveed Qamar, Federal Minister for Power Khurram Dastgir Khan, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi MNA/ex-PM, Minister of State for Petroleum Musadik Masood Malik, SAPM on Finance Tariq Bajwa, federal secretaries, and senior officers attended the meeting.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022