ECC approves Rs 10 b grant for Ministry of IT & Telecommunication

Islamabad: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet on Wednesday approved the technical supplementary grant of Rs 10 billion for the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication for Digital Information Infrastructure Initiative.

 The funds would be utilized to provide requisite technical capabilities to proactively identify potential cyber threats on the national critical information infrastructure besides preventing cyber security breaches.

Federal Minister for Finance, Revenue, and Economic Affairs Dr Shamshad Akhtar chaired the ECC meeting. It was attended by Minister for Energy and Petroleum Division Mohammad Ali, Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Sami Saeed, Minister for Communication Maritimes and Railways Shahid Ashraf Tarar, Minister for Information and Technology Umar Saif, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Dr Muhammad Jehanzaeb Khan, Advisor to the PM on Finance Dr. Waqar Masood, federal secretaries, and other senior government officers of the relevant ministries. The ECC approved the proposal of Petroleum Division regarding “Re-grant of Sui Development and Production Lease”, after it was endorsed by the Balochistan Government.

A summary of the Ministry of Maritimes Affairs regarding “Revised Fee of Issuance of Certificate of Quality and Origin and Other Certificates for Fish and Fishery Products under Pakistan Fish Inspection and Quality Control Rules ,1998” was approved by the ECC, with the directions to Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Maritimes Affairs, to explore further avenues of investment.

The committee gave its nod to the summary of Ministry of National Food Security and Research regarding “Extension of Farm Mechanization Scheme of Kissan Package”.

Likewise, the ECC accorded its approval to the summary of Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Division) regarding “Amendment in the decision of ECC of the Cabinet regarding “Urea Fertilizer Requirement for Rabi Season 2023-24”, as it did not involve any subsidy implications.

The ECC discussed another summary of Ministry of Energy regarding “Deed of settlement Pursuant to the Pakistan Oil Refining Policy 2023 for upgradation of Existing/ Brownfield Refineries” and termed it appropriate. The Petroleum Division might offer the same to the private party, it noted.

Three summaries of Petroleum Division regarding “ Supply of Gas /RLNG to Fatimafert and Agritech to meet requirement of Urea”, “Allocation of Gas from M/s United Energy Pakistan’s Mohar Field to SSGCL” and “Allocation of Condensate to Attock Refinery Limited and its Freight Charges Adjustment through Inter Freight Equalization Mechanism” were also approved by the forum.