To control the prices of wheat and flour in the market and to ensure that they are available all year round at reasonable prices throughout the country, the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) has authorized the private sector to market the goods to enter.
At the ECC meeting of the Minister of Finance and Revenue of Prime Minister Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, who was also in charge, also decided not to limit wheat imports to a certain limit, saying that the situation was monthly was checked to ensure availability of wheat and flour in all parts of the country at reasonable prices.
Provincial authorities are requested to promptly publish their" wheat release policy ". In addition, Punjab should deliver 900,000 tons of wheat to the provincial factories at the proposed release price over the next two months to avoid a wheat / flour price increase," the committee said.
In addition, PASSCO was commissioned to assess the immediate needs of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan and to ensure the supply of wheat in accordance with the agreed objectives. It was also requested to support private wheat importers and to conclude agreements between importers and the government of FP / Baluchistan to calculate the impact of import subsidies.
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"If the private sector does not import, the government must import the goods itself. It should also monitor and improve the bottleneck supply mechanism and investigate other market deficiencies related to wheat / flour supply and demand. "
Meanwhile, the ECC has reviewed and approved five proposals from the Ministry of the Interior, including an additional technical grant (TSG) of Rupee 2.5 billion to cover the accrued obligations of the Punjab Mass Transit Authority as a federal interest because of the operation of the Pakistani metrobus to keep the system running; two separate TSGs of Rs 200 million.
Rs 36,400 million. for the ICT police to pay the outstanding debts of Shuhada families; and two separate TSGs of Rs 105.621 million. and Rs 60.581 million. for the ICT police to repay outstanding budgetary policy commitments 19-20.
The ECC also approved a Finance Department proposal for a TSG of 1.3 billion rupees to meet the critical medical and utility requirements of the Pakistan Navy.
On a proposal from the Ministry of Defense, the ECC has authorized the Capital Development Agency to charge fees to Directorate General Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) in accordance with R250 per capita. Square meter against the allocation of 45 hectares of land at Jagiot Farm in Islamabad with a total impact of Rs. 590 million, as approved by the Prime Minister in May 2018.
To that end, the ECC approved a TSG of Rs. 490.05 million.
At the suggestion of the Industry and Manufacturing Department, the ECC approved a three-month cut in duties and taxes to ensure an uninterrupted supply of oxygen gas and cylinders for medical purposes in the country.
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The ECC has also instructed the Ministry of National Regulations and the Coordination of the Ministry of Health and Home Affairs to pay all outstanding fees payable to oxygen producing companies under the terms of the contract.
The committee also reviewed and approved a proposal from the finance department about a new loan policy to the provincial governments regarding their ways and means of signing agreements between the finance department and the Pakistani state bank on the implementation of the new loan policy.
As part of the new directive, the current "way and means" limit for Punjab has changed from Rs 37 billion to Rs 77 billion. Rs. 39 billion (Rs. 15 billion), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Rs. 27 billion (Rs. 10.1 billion) and Baluchistan Rs. 17 billion (Rs. 7.1 billion).