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ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet on Wednesday approved a series of important economic, fiscal and sectoral decisions aimed at ensuring macroeconomic stability, protecting consumers, strengthening social protection systems, and addressing critical operational needs of public sector entities.
The meeting, held at the Finance Division and chaired by Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, was attended by Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain, Federal Minister for Investment Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh, along with federal secretaries and senior officials from relevant ministries and regulatory bodies.
In a key decision to manage surplus wheat stocks and stabilize the domestic market, the ECC approved the disposal of 500,000 metric tons of PASSCO wheat through open competitive bidding. The move is intended to reduce carrying and storage costs while safeguarding food security imperatives and maintaining price stability for consumers.
The Committee also greenlit the allocation of 300,000 metric tons of PASSCO wheat to the Food and Consumer Protection Department of the Government of Punjab. This step aims to ensure sufficient supplies for flour mills, help stabilize wheat flour prices, and guarantee uninterrupted availability to households across the province.
To address long-pending financial obligations, the ECC authorized the release of Rs. 10.98 billion as a Technical Supplementary Grant to clear outstanding liabilities of utility companies against the Pakistan Post Office Department (PPOD).
In the health sector, the ECC approved Rs 29.663 billion as a Technical Supplementary Grant for the Federal Directorate of Immunization under the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination. The funds will support uninterrupted procurement of vaccines and syringes for the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), sustain routine immunization coverage nationwide, prevent outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, and fulfill Pakistan’s international public health commitments.
On the agriculture front, the Committee approved sharing of the subsidy on imported urea between the federal and provincial governments on a 50:50 basis. A Technical Supplementary Grant of Rs 23.42 billion was sanctioned under the Ministry of Commerce, with Rs 15 billion to be immediately released by the Finance Division and the balance arranged subject to availability of fiscal space.
In the housing and infrastructure domain, the ECC sanctioned Rs 1.9 billion as a Technical Supplementary Grant to the Ministry of Housing and Works under the Sustainable Development Goals Achievement Programme. The funds will support execution of development schemes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa through the Pakistan Infrastructure Development Company Limited, with the objective of accelerating infrastructure development and improving service delivery.
The Committee further approved Rs 150 million as a Technical Supplementary Grant for Cadet College Hasan Abdal under the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training to meet its operational and developmental requirements and ensure smooth institutional functioning.
Finally, the ECC approved the distribution of confiscated solar panels — seized by the Federal Board of Revenue — to the Government of Gilgit-Baltistan, along with a comprehensive transportation and distribution plan. The initiative is aimed at alleviating electricity shortages in the region, promoting renewable energy adoption, and supporting public service facilities through sustainable power generation.
These decisions reflect the government’s continued focus on balancing fiscal discipline with targeted interventions in food security, public health, agriculture support, education, infrastructure, and regional energy access.
