ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the federal cabinet has approved technical supplementary grants of Rs 5 billion for the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives for conducting the 7th population and housing census.
A week ago, the Council of Common Interests (CCI) during its 49th meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan approved the conduct the census and the establishment of “Census Monitoring Committee”. The committee will be chaired by Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, all provincial chief secretaries, Chairman National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), Chief Commissioner Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) and other senior officials.
The committee will oversee and monitor the census activities to ensure expeditious, transparent and credible census operations, a press release issued by the PM Media Office here said.
As per recommendations of the Census Advisory Committee, the CCI decided to conduct the 7th Census adopting international best practices, using digital technology and GIS monitoring system. It was apprised that Housing Census would be conducted before the Population Census.
Trade with Afghanistan
The ECC meeting, which was virtually presided over by Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Shaukat Tarin, also approved Rs 4 billion under the Pakistan Raises Revenue Programme (PRRP) for the financial year 2021-22 for Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).
The ECC, considering the food crisis and prevailing situation of Afghanistan, approved the summary presented by the Ministry of Commerce, allowing the export of selected commodities to the neighbouring country against Pakistan currency by adding them in the list of items at Para-7(1) of the Export Policy Order, 2020.
The committee, while noting the growth in exports, approved another summary of the Commerce Ministry to enhance the quota limit for export of samples to $25,000 or 0.1% of actual export proceeds during the last financial year in US dollars per exporter per annum, by amending relevant paras of the Export Policy Order, 2020.
The ECC approved a Commerce Ministry’s proposal of removal of 45 percent regulatory duty on the import of chilghoza (pinenuts) from Afghanistan as the tariff reduction would encourage the legal import of unprocessed pinenuts for export and would also be instrumental in creation of jobs in the far-flung areas of border regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and economically backward areas of Balochistan.
Dasu incident compensation
The committee after deliberation and considering the depth of Pakistan’s relationship with China, and as a goodwill gesture on government level, approved the proposal of the Ministry of Water Resources for compensation package of $11.6 million for the affected Chinese nationals of Dasu Hydropower Project incident.
The ECC also approved Rs 78.500 million for the projects of ICT (Islamabad Capital Territory) Administration, by Interior Ministry. The meeting gave approval for Rs60 million and Rs3 million (equivalent to $ 17,133.06) for the Interior Ministry within the sanctioned budgets for purchase of spare parts for helicopters maintained by HQs Frontier Corps Balochistan North and HQs Frontier Corps Khuber Pakhtunkhwa (North) respectively.
It approved the re-allocation of Rs226.8 million surrendered funds for the year 2021-22 under Sustainable Development Goals Achievement Programme (SAP) in favour of Interior Division for further release to the ICT Administration.
The meeting gave its consent for rupee cover of $65 million(equivalent to Rs 11,960 million) to the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations & Coordination, committed by Islamic Development Bank, to utilize the IsDB loan under “IVAC Covid-19 Vaccine Support for Pakistan”.
The committee approved a proposal submitted by the Finance Division for engaging the services of third party to carry out the monitoring and evaluation ( M&E) functions of the Kamyab Pakistan Programme (KPP). The responsibilities were entrusted to Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF), which due to its legal status had not been able to undertake the task.
