ECC okays Rs1.8bn for overhaul of VVIP aircraft

ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet has granted its approval for Rs1.8 billion as a Technical Supplementary Grant (TSG) for the overhaul of engines of two VVIP aircraft for the president and prime minister of Pakistan.

Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb chaired a meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet on Friday. Under the IMF agreement, the government cannot approve supplementary grants but the Technical Supplementary Grants (TSG) were given a nod. The TSG is meant to divert allocation from one ministry to another without changing or impacting the overall budgetary allocation purposes.

The ECC considered a proposal from the Ministry of National Food Security & Research for allocation of domestic and imported wheat stocks of PASSCO among wheat-deficient agencies/regions for the Food Year 2024-25.

The ECC discussed the issue threadbare and decided that domestic and imported wheat would be allocated and released by PASSCO based on allocation ratio decided by committee on 1st February 2024, till full disposal of imported wheat stock, and all the seven wheat-deficit agencies/regions would lift the wheat as per their committed demand during the Food Year 2024-25. The ECC, however, directed that the wheat to be picked by agencies/regions be tested beforehand for purpose of quality and fitness for consumption.

The ECC considered and approved a proposal from the Ministry of Interior for grant of a Technical Supplementary Grant amounting to Rs252.711 million against the same amount surrendered by the Ministry of Housing and Works, for allocation to Capital Development Authority (CDA) to ensure uninterrupted provision of civic services at the Prime Minister’s Office (Public), Prime Minister’s Office Internal and Prime Minister’s Staff Colony.

The ECC considered and approved the grant of a Technical Supplementary Grant to the tune of Rs1.8 billion to the Ministry of Defence for overhaul of engines of two VVIP aircraft being utilised for state duties with the president and prime minister of Pakistan.

The ECC also took up and approved a proposal of the Ministry of Interior for provision of Rs2.939 billion as Technical Supplementary Grant to Director General Immigration & Passports for the purchase of two e-Passport Personalisation systems and six desktop personalisation machines for uninterrupted and smooth official business of the directorate in the public interest.

The ECC also approved a proposal of the Ministry of Planning, Development & Special Initiatives for the transfer of Rs30 billion budgeted for FY 2024-25 under the “Flood Response Emergency Housing Project”, to the Finance Division as Technical Supplementary Grant for onward release to the Government of Sindh as per the Finance Division’s release strategy for development budget and after authorisation by the Ministry of Planning, Development & Special Initiatives.

The ECC meeting also deliberated upon a summary by the National Accountability Bureau for a TSG for allocation of Rs376 million in terms of Article 84 of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan 1973, in favour of NAB for meeting the expenditure in terms of Recovery and Reward Rules 2002 and approved it.

A proposal by the Ministry of Commerce for allocation of TSG amounting to Rs226.720 million to support its trade and investment missions in China was also considered and approved by the ECC.