ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) has approved a new priority order for gas allocation, placing industrial gas use alongside domestic and commercial sectors as the top priority.
This decision was made during a meeting chaired by Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb.
The proposal, presented by the Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Division), updates the gas supply priority list to elevate industrial processes to a higher priority level while shifting captive power industries and the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) sector to a lower priority. This change aims to better support industries that rely on gas for their operations.
In addition to the gas priority adjustment, the ECC reviewed and authorized several other proposals. The committee approved the Ministry of Communications plan for the Kalkatak-Chitral 48 km (Section-III) Road Project (N-45), allowing the National Highway Authority to proceed with the procurement of civil works according to Public Procurement Rule-5.
The ECC also approved the allocation of Rs. 238.42 million for clearing arrears related to wheat subsidy schemes from 2015-16, as requested by the Ministry of National Food Security and Research (NFSR). The committee directed that these funds be sourced from available budgetary resources to settle long-standing claims.
Furthermore, the ECC considered a proposal for a Rs. 656 million loan to the Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (PCCC) to cover salaries and pensions.
After deliberation, the committee recommended that the PCCC be considered for closure and instructed that a case be submitted to the Cabinet Committee for Rightsizing of the Federal Government.
