ECC for addressing implementation delays, improved coordination

ISLAMABAD: A special meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Federal Cabinet has expressed serious concerns over delays in implementing key policy decisions taken by the committee.

According to a press communique issued by the Finance Ministry on Wednesday, the meeting was chaired by Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, to address the lack of coordination, which has led to delays in implementing key decisions.

The meeting directed the concerned ministries to improve their coordination and work with stakeholder ministries and divisions proactively through a proper escalation mechanism to ensure a timely compliance and completion of the tasks and responsibilities assigned to them for implementation of the ECC’s decisions.

The directions were issued after reviewing the implementation status of various earlier policy decisions of the ECC concerning matters related to finance, interior, industries and production, inter-provincial coordination, housing and works, food security and research, power, national health services regulation and coordination.

Also Read: Foreign investors repatriate over $400 million in October alone: SBP report

Earlier, the ECC was briefed on the overall implementation status of its past decisions followed by separate presentations by the relevant ministries on the current status of the issues pending with them and the steps taken and required to get a closure on them.

Minister for Industries and Production Rana Tanveer Hussain, Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari, Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan, Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Ali Pervaiz Malik, federal secretaries, and senior officers from concerned ministries and departments attended the meeting.

In its previous meeting on November 13, the ECC approved major reforms for the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) as part of its transformation plan.

The reforms included, enhancing the FBR’s operational skills, setting up a performance management system for its officers, launching capacity-building programmes, improving anti-smuggling measures, and arranging mobility and accommodation facilities for officers.