Islamabad: The Economic Coordination Committee of the Cabinet has approved 75 billion rupees for the Prime Minister's Fuel Relief Scheme.
According to Radio Pakistan, the ECC accorded the approval at its meeting held in Islamabad with Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb in the chair. The scheme is designed to provide targeted relief to lower-income segments in response to increased petroleum prices.
Under the scheme, two and three-wheelers will receive relief of 500 rupees per week, equivalent to 5 litres at 100 rupees per litre, while cars up to 800cc will receive relief of 1,000 rupees for ten days, based on 30 litres per month at 100 rupees per litre. The scheme will be restricted to non-commercial users, with relief limited to one vehicle per user or owner.
The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecom will deploy and manage the Fuel Pass System for digital management and transparent delivery of the relief. The targeted and digitally managed mechanism aims to ensure that the benefit reaches eligible consumers efficiently while strengthening transparency and accountability in implementation.
Additionally, the ECC considered a summary regarding permission for the export of 200,000 metric tonnes of surplus sugar. It approved the recommendations of the Steering Committee on Sugar, including appropriate safeguards to maintain domestic price stability in the local market.
The committee also reviewed a summary concerning the provision of three billion rupees for the purchase of 15 bullet-proof sedan vehicles for use during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's (SCO) Council Summit, scheduled to be hosted by Pakistan in Islamabad in September next year. The vehicles were deemed necessary for the fool-proof security of Heads of State.
The ECC noted the importance of the event and emphasized the need for timely and comprehensive preparations to ensure secure and appropriate transport arrangements. The high-profile arrangements observed during the recent Heads of State SCO Summit in Kyrgyzstan were also discussed and appreciated as worth following.
