Daily Times

Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) meeting headed by Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin on Monday approved an extension of 15 days on subsidy of five commodities available at utility stores.

According to details that have emerged after the conclusion of the EEC meeting, the five commodities that would continue to be provided on subsidized rates at utility stores included sugar, ghee, rice, flour, and pulses.

The ministry of industries and commerce has demanded a six-month extension in the subsidy and the ECC formed a committee to mull over the proposal and submit a recommendation soon. The meeting also approved supplementary grants for the interior ministry and other ministries. In the previous meeting, Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin presided over a meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) in Islamabad and approved a summary for the release of funds for the establishment of border markets in Balochistan.

It approved a technical supplementary grant to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic. The meeting also green-lighted an Rs98.7 million technical supplementary grant for the Frontier Corps and an Rs25 million grant for the Pakistan Rangers. The ECC also approved a grant of Rs39 million for salaries of Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) employees. During a meeting on Monday, the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) had approved the enhancement of Ehsaas Kafalat monthly stipend to the tune of Rs166 per beneficiary w.e.f. 1s January 2022. The beneficiaries would receive additional cash of Rs 166 per month due to indexation.

It approved the request of the Poverty Alleviation & Social Safety Division regarding the Indexation Policy for cash transfer and allowed Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) to adopt the institutional mechanism for periodic update of regular cash transfer benefits to Ehsaas Kafalat Beneficiaries of Benazir Income Support Program (BISP).