The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) on Wednesday approved a Rs. 3 billion hike in the Sustainable Development Goals Program (SAP), raising it from Rs. 87 billion to Rs. 90 billion.
During the meeting, the ECC was informed that Rs. 70 billion had been allocated for SAP in the budget for the ongoing fiscal year. This was later raised to Rs. 87 billion on the orders of the SAP Steering Committee led by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal. However, per the ECC briefing, additional funds were required for schemes in underdeveloped areas, and so Rs. 3 billion have been surrendered by the Planning Ministry to make-up the shortfall.
The SAP provides discretionary funding for lawmakers, with authorities claiming Rs. 500 million have been earmarked for each of the 174 constituencies represented by lawmakers supporting the incumbent government. Of the Rs. 90 billion allocated, Rs. 47 billion would be utilized in Punjab; Rs. 28 billion in Sindh; and around Rs. 7 billion each in Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
According to the briefing at the ECC, thus far the government has provided Rs. 5.3 billion to the Ministry of Housing and Works and Rs. 1.1 billion for the Energy Ministry for schemes in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa; Rs. 38.1 billion to the Ministry of Housing and Rs. 6.5 billion for the Energy Ministry for development schemes in Punjab; Rs. 18.8 billion for the Government of Sindh, and Rs. 8.4 billion for the Housing Ministry and Rs. 355 million for the Energy Ministry for schemes in Sindh; and Rs. 2 billion for the Government of Balochistan in addition to Rs. 4.8 billion for the Housing Ministry and Rs. 100 million for the Energy Ministry for schemes in the province.
The ECC meeting, presided over by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, also reviewed a summary of the Ministry of National Health Services and approved a 25 percent increase in the price of a vial used in pregnancy tests. However, it deferred a decision on raising prices of 54 other medicines.
Additionally, the ECC approved a summary submitted by the Ministry of Commerce and allowed the Trading Corporation of Pakistan to conduct pre-shipment inspection of imported wheat at ports through pre-qualified international pre-shipment inspection agencies to ensure the quality of imported wheat as per specifications. It also considered a summary of the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety on subsidy for wheat seed and approved the provision of Rs. 8.39 billion for the Benazir Income Support Program to provide cash subsidies to farmers in flood-hit areas. The ECC also directed the BISP to initiate cash disbursement through its partner bank as per eligibility criteria.
During the meeting, the ECC also approved two summaries of the Ministry of Interior regarding financial aid of Rs. 10 million to the legal heirs of the person who died during a suicide bombing in Islamabad, as well as Rs. 20 million for the legal heirs of the people who died during the PTI’s long march.