ECC approves petroleum dealer margin at Rs7/liter

ECC approves petroleum dealer margin at Rs7/liter

ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet has approved to fix petroleum dealers margin at Rs7 per liter for petrol and high speed diesel.

The decision has been taken at a meeting of the ECC presided over by Finance Minister Miftah Ismail on Thursday.

The Petroleum Division submitted a summary on revision of Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) and dealers margins on petroleum products.

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It was informed that the existing margins were fixed in December, 2021 and Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association has approached the government for immediate revision of their margins due to inflation, increase in tariff salaries and utility bills, etc.

Federal Minister for Commerce Syed Naveed Qamar, Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Prof. Ahsan Iqbal, Federal Minister for Industries and Production Makhdoom Syed Murtaza Mehmood, Federal Minister for Power , Khurram Dastgir Khan, Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Chaudhary Tariq Bashir Cheema, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi – MNA/ex-PM, Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Dr. Aisha Ghous Pasha, Minister of State for Petroleum Musadik Masood Malik, Rana Ihsan Afzal, Coordinator to the PM on Commerce and Industry, Coordinator to the PM on Economy, Bial Azhar Kayani, Federal Secretaries and senior officers attended the meeting.

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Ministry of National Food Security and Research submitted a summary on urgent advice relating to award of 4th International Wheat Tender 2022 opened on 25th July, 2022.

It was informed that Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) issued 4th tender on 19-05-2022 for securing quantity of 200,000 MT of imported wheat on CFR basis.

The tender was opened on 25-07-2022 wherein six (06) international suppliers participated, out of which 05 offered rates. The ECC after detailed discussion approved the lowest bid offered by M/s Falconbridge FZLLC@ US$ 407.49/MT CFR bulk on sight LC basis with direction to TCP to negotiate with the Russian authorities to procure wheat on lower rate subject to confirmation of the ECC.

Ministry of Water Resources submitted a summary on compensation package for the Chinese causalities at Dasu Hydro Power project.

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The ECC decided that the amount of compensation/ good will package will remain the same as per ECC’s earlier decision dated January 21,2022 ( i.e US$ 11.6 million) and approved disbursement of the compensation/goodwill amount directly to the company M/s China Gezhouba Group International Engineering Co. Ltd (CGGC) through Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Ministry of Industries and Production submitted a summary on issues faced by Fatima Fertilizer (Sheikhupura Plant) and Agritech.

Both the SNGPL based plants are operated by provisioning of RLNG on cost sharing basis. Gas rate for operation of these plants is worked out on the basis of Variable Contribution Margin (VCM).

Due to price increase in fuel prices and other factors, both plants have approached M/o I&P for revision of VCM and capping of GST at the price paid by the plants.

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The ECC after discussion approved the proposal to ensure compliance with the earlier decision of the ECC and the Federal Cabinet of shifting both the plants to indigenous gas.

The committee further directed Ministries of Petroleum, Finance, National Food Security and Industries & production to work out the gas price/VCM for the Fertilizers. The ECC also decided that Sales tax may be charged on the actual price of the gas being paid by the company.