ECC approves Rs10 billion for digital information infrastructure initiative

ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee has approved the allocation of Rs10 billion for the Digital Information Infrastructure Initiative to proactively identify potential cyber threats to the national critical information infrastructure.

The Federal Minister for Finance, Revenue, and Economic Affairs, Dr Shamshad Akhtar, presided over a meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet today.

The Economic Coordination Committee considered and approved a proposal of the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication regarding “Allocation of Rs10 billion through Technical Supplementary Grant during CFY for the Digital Information Infrastructure Initiative.”.

The funds will be utilised to provide the requisite technical capabilities to proactively identify potential cyber threats on the national critical information infrastructure and prevent cyber security breaches.

The ECC considered the proposal of the Petroleum Division regarding the “Re-grant of Sui Development and Production Lease.” The provincial government of Balochistan indicated its endorsement of the proposal, following which the ECC approved the summary.

A summary of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs’s “Revised Fee of Issuance of Certificates of Quality and Origin and Other Certificates for Fish and Fishery Products under Pakistan Fish Inspection and Quality Control Rules, 1998” was also approved, with directions to the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Maritime Affairs to explore further avenues of investment.

The Ministry of National Food Security and Research presented a summary regarding “Extension of Farm Mechanisation Scheme of Kissan Package” to the forum, which was approved after detailed discussion.

A summary of the Ministry of Energy’s (Petroleum Division) amendment “to the decision of the ECC of the Cabinet regarding “Urea Fertiliser Requirement for Rabi Season 2023–24” was discussed in the committee. The forum approved the proposal, which did not involve any subsidy implications.

Another summary from the Ministry of Energy regarding the “Deed of Settlement Pursuant to the Pakistan Oil Refining Policy 2023—for Upgradation of Existing and Brownfield Refineries” was also considered. ECC noted that the settlement proposal suggested by Finance Division was appropriate, and Petroleum Division may offer the same to the private party.

Three summaries of the Petroleum Division regarding “Supply of Gas/RLNG to Fatimafert and Agritech to meet the requirement of Urea,” “Allocation of Gas from M/s United Energy Pakistan’s Mohar Field to SSGCL,” and “Allocation of Condensate to Attock Refinery Limited and its Freight Charges Adjustment through the Inter-Freight Equalisation Mechanism” were also approved after detailed deliberations by the forum.