ISLAMABAD: The federal government is likely to announce a mega agriculture package for the farmers in the wake of the COVID-10 pandemic and lockdown.
Sources said the Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MoNFSR) would present different proposals in the meeting of the Economic Coordination of Committee (ECC) to be held under the chair of Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh to facilitate the farmers in the prevailing crisis.
The government would give subsidy to farmers on fertilisers as well as on livestock, besides lowering the electricity rate for tube wells.
In addition, ECC would also deliberate on the Ministry of Industries and Production (MoIP)’s agenda with regard to the mobile device manufacturing policy.
MoIP has finalised the mobile manufacturing policy with theme ‘Make in Pakistan’ that envisages a considerable reduction in the regulatory duty (RD) on local assembly of smart phones. In the next two to three years, 40 per cent localisation in manufacturing would be attained under the policy.
Sources added local device manufacturing activity is projected to create significant direct and indirect jobs in the country alongside development of efficient manufacturing eco-system and linking Pakistan to the global supply chain.
A proposal of the Defence Division for approval of the Technical Supplementary Grant (TSG) to Defence Services in order to meet critical requirements is expected to be approved by the ECC. The meeting would also consider and may approve the mobile device manufacturing policy.
ECC would also consider MoNFSR’s another proposal for release of wheat to AJK by the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (PASSCO).
The committee would also take up the Ministry of Petroleum (MoP)’s proposal regarding policy guidelines with respect to the sale price of RLNG and rate of petroleum levy on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
