ECC approves Rs11.3 billion for Utility Stores closure, Rs10 billion for Thar rail project, Rs8 billion for P3A

According to Profit by Pakistan Today, the Economic Coordination Committee of the Cabinet cleared several funding requests on Thursday under the chairmanship of Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb. Rs11.329 billion was allocated for winding up Utility Stores Corporation, while Rs10 billion went to the Ministry of Railways for the Thar Coal Rail Connectivity Project. A further Rs8 billion was approved for the Public Private Partnership Authority to back infrastructure schemes delivered through public-private partnerships.

The committee weighed 17 items spanning development schemes, infrastructure funding, institutional change and sector programmes. Rs4 billion went to Pakistan Revenue Automation (Pvt) Limited (PRAL) for restructuring tied to the Federal Board of Revenue's Transformation Plan, and Rs2 billion was sanctioned for the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) to carry out its business plan. In agriculture, Rs1.666 billion was earmarked for a Prime Minister's initiative that will send 1,000 farming professionals on short training in China.

Separately, Rs300 million was approved for Capital Development Authority repairs at the Prime Minister's Office, even as austerity rules currently bar government purchases. Indicative minimum prices for the 2026 tobacco harvest were cleared, along with revised cess charges for FY27, whereas a proposal to adjust PASSCO's outstanding receivables from provinces was put off for further stakeholder talks. The committee also approved an amendment to a customs levy on imported tyres, intended to support local manufacturing.