ECC approves Rs 1.8 billion budget for President and PM VVIP planes

The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the federal cabinet approved a technical supplementary grant of Rs 1.8 billion to overhaul the engines of two VVIP planes used by President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for state duties, news source reported.

Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb chaired the ECC meeting, which also considered several proposals from different sectors.

“The ECC considered and approved a Technical Supplementary Grant to the tune of Rs. 1.8 billion to the Ministry of Defense for overhaul of engines of two VVIP aircraft being utilized for state duties with the President and the Prime Minister of Pakistan,” a press statement issued here read.

The ECC reviewed a proposal from the Ministry of National Food Security & Research to allocate domestic and imported wheat stocks of PASSCO among wheat-deficient agencies and regions for the Food Year 2024-25.

The ECC thoroughly discussed the issue and decided that PASSCO would allocate and release domestic and imported wheat based on the allocation ratio determined by the ECC on February 1, 2024.

“Till full disposal of imported wheat stock, all seven wheat-deficit agencies/regions would lift the wheat as per their committed demand during the Food Year 2024-25. The ECC however directed that the wheat to be picked up by agencies/regions be tested beforehand for the purpose of quality and fitness for consumption,” the statement added.

The ECC also approved a proposal from the Ministry of Interior to grant a Technical Supplementary Grant of Rs. 252.711 million, which the Ministry of Housing and Works had surrendered. This amount will be allocated to the Capital Development Authority to ensure the uninterrupted provision of civic services at the Prime Minister’s Office (Public), the Prime Minister’s Office Internal, and the Prime Minister’s Staff Colony.

The ECC approved a proposal from the Ministry of Interior to provide Rs. 2.939 billion as a Technical Supplementary Grant to the Director General of Immigration & Passports. This funding will be used to purchase two e-Passport Personalization systems and six desktop personalization machines to ensure the uninterrupted and smooth official operations of the Directorate in the public interest.