ISLAMABAD: The ECC has rejected the summary to increase prices of the items at the utility stores. The Ministry of Industries & Production presented proposals related to the Utility Stores Corporation (USC) before the ECC. The committee considered and approved the first proposal regarding the continuation of general subsidy on five essential items through USC from 1st Jan till 30th June 2021, from funds allocated under Prime Minister’s Relief Package-2020 in the backdrop of Covid-19 pandemic.
Secondly, the ministry requested the ECC to approve the reallocation of Rs2.332 billion for ERP procurement and IT infrastructure for automation of stock management throughout the USC network. ECC approved the proposal in principle, with a direction to hold further consultation with IT and finance ministries for smooth implementation.
It was also decided that the USC would present before next ECC meeting a revised proposal after working out a specific percentage range(s) of differential from market prices for subsidizing essential commodities through the Ministry of Industries & Production. The percentage range(s) would serve as a benchmark for subsidizing the essential commodities through USCs, keeping in view fluctuations in international commodity prices.
On Textiles and Apparel Policy 2020-25 by the Ministry of Commerce, the ECC decided to include SAPM on Power Tabish Gauhar in the sub-committee for a detailed consultation on proposals related to the power sector, which falls under the ambit of the textile policy. The five-year textile policy would be presented before the ECC in a couple of weeks.
