Islamabad — The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet on Wednesday approved the distribution of confiscated solar panels to the Government of Gilgit-Baltistan to help address electricity shortages and promote renewable energy solutions in the region.
The decision allows the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to hand over the confiscated solar panels along with an approved transportation and distribution plan. The initiative aims to support public service facilities through sustainable power generation and improve energy access in remote areas of Gilgit-Baltistan.
The ECC meeting was chaired by Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb and attended by Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain, Minister for Investment Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh, federal secretaries, and senior officials from relevant ministries, divisions, and regulatory bodies, according to a press release.
During the meeting, the ECC also approved the disposal of 500,000 metric tons of Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (PASSCO) wheat through competitive bidding. The move is aimed at managing surplus stocks, reducing storage and carrying costs, and maintaining price stability in the domestic wheat market while safeguarding national food security.
In a related decision, the committee approved the provision of 300,000 metric tons of PASSCO wheat to the Punjab government’s Food and Consumer Protection Department to ensure adequate supplies for flour mills, stabilize prices, and guarantee uninterrupted availability of wheat flour to consumers.
The ECC further approved the release of Rs 10.98 billion as a Technical Supplementary Grant to clear outstanding liabilities of utility companies owed by the Pakistan Post Office Department. The funds will help settle long-pending payables accumulated over several years.
In the health sector, the committee sanctioned a Technical Supplementary Grant of Rs 29.663 billion for the Federal Directorate of Immunization to ensure uninterrupted procurement of vaccines and syringes under the Expanded Programme on Immunization. The approval aims to sustain routine immunization coverage, prevent outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, and fulfill Pakistan’s international public health commitments.
The ECC also approved a subsidy-sharing mechanism for imported urea, allowing a 50:50 cost-sharing arrangement between the federal and provincial governments through a Technical Supplementary Grant of Rs 23.42 billion requested by the Ministry of Commerce. Of this amount, Rs 15 billion will be released by the Finance Division, while the remaining funds will be arranged subject to fiscal space.
In the housing and development sector, the committee approved a Technical Supplementary Grant of Rs 1.9 billion for the Ministry of Housing and Works under the Sustainable Development Goals Achievement Programme. The funds will be used to execute development schemes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa through the Pakistan Infrastructure Development Company Limited, aimed at accelerating infrastructure development and improving service delivery.
Additionally, the ECC approved a Technical Supplementary Grant of Rs 150 million for Cadet College Hasan Abdal to meet its operational and development requirements and ensure smooth functioning of the institution.