ECC okays Rs10b for Digital Information Infrastructure Initiative

The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet approved on Wednesday the technical supplementary grant of Rs10 billion for the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication for Digital Information Infrastructure Initiative.

The funds would be utilised to provide requisite technical capabilities to proactively identify potential cyber threats to the national critical information infrastructure, beside preventing cyber security breaches, a finance ministry statement said.

Finance Minister Dr Shamshad Akhtar chaired the ECC meeting, which was attended by Energy Minister Mohammad Ali, Planning Minister Sami Saeed, Communication Minister Shahid Ashraf Tarar, Information Technology Minister Umar Saif and others.

The ECC approved a summary of the maritime affairs ministry regarding "Revised Fee of Issuance of Certificate of Quality and Origin and Other Certificates for Fish and Fishery Products under Pakistan Fish Inspection and Quality Control Rules".

The ECC directed of finance and maritime affairs ministries to explore further avenues of investment. A proposal of the Petroleum Division regarding "Re-grant of Sui Development and Production Lease", was also approved after it was endorsed by the Balochistan government.

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The committee gave its nod to the summary of food ministry regarding "Extension of Farm Mechanisation Scheme of Kissan Package". Likewise, a summary of Energy (Petroleum Division) Ministry was also approved regarding "Amendment in the decision of the ECC regarding Urea Fertiliser Requirement for Rabi Season 2023-24", as it did not involve any subsidy implications.

The ECC discussed another summary of energy ministry regarding "Deed of settlement Pursuant to the Pakistan Oil Refining Policy 2023 for upgradation of Existing/Brownfield Refineries" and termed it appropriate. It noted that the petroleum division might offer it to a private party.

Three summaries of the petroleum division regarding "Supply of Gas /RLNG to Fatimafert and Agritech to meet requirement of Urea", "Allocation of Gas from United Energy Pakistan's Mohar Field to SSGCL" and "Allocation of Condensate to Attock Refinery Limited and its Freight Charges Adjustment through Inter-Freight Equalization Mechanism" were also approved by the forum.

APP