Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) has approved release of funds for rehabilitation of temporary dislocated persons (TDPs) of North Waziristan. Its meeting was held in Islamabad on Wednesday with Finance Minister Asad Umer in the chair. The Committee was briefed by the Water Resource Division on the proposed arrangement for settling the electricity tariff and water usage charges issues with AJK. Secretary Water Resource Division stated that a detailed arrangement covering all aspects of the issue had been worked out in consultation with the government of AJK, under the new arrangement 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.1795 million, for Temporarily Dislocated Persons from North Waziristan in the wake of 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. Similarly, it 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/- million. The Committee was briefed by Ministry of Science & Technology on the status of operationalisation of Pakistan Hilal 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. Published in Daily Times, March 21st 2019.