ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee of the Cabinet (ECC) here on Thursday approved Rs 1.5 billion Ramazan Package as compared to the Rs 1.4 billion approved last year.
The government has allowed the special price relaxation despite already dropping prices of necessities owing to low level of inflation, Finance Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar,who chaired the meeting, said.
The ECC was informed that Finance Division would provide upfront payment of Rs 1 billion to the USC to buy the items before Ramzan.
These include flour, sugar, ghee/oil, pulses, dates, rice, squashes and syrups (900 ml bottle) black tea, milk and spices.
The ECC also decided that USC would run a media campaign from its own resources apprising the public about the special package.
Further, the Ministry of Industries and the USC would submit a report to the ECC by middle of Ramzan about the implementation status of the package.
The ECC also approved proposal of the Ministry of IT to operationalize the already opened, non-lapsable Personal Ledger Accounts (PLAs) of USF and R&D funds subject to amendments in R&D and USF rules.
This has been allowed to facilitate telecom operators in utilization of above said funds for execution of projects, especially those relating to rural and underserved areas.