ECC decides to recover Rs76 billion from big power consumers

ISLAMABAD (92 News) - Federal Minister for Finance Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar presided over a meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet on Monday.

The forum approved the proposal to recover Rs 76 billion while exempting non-ToU domestic consumers having consumption of 300 units and private agriculture consumers in four months period from March 2023 to June 2023 to recover the markup charges of PHL loans. It allowed to impose additional surcharge of Rs 1/unit for FY 2023-24 to recover additional markup charges of PHL loans not covered through the already applicable FC surcharge. The above surcharges will be applicable to K-Electric consumers to maintain uniform tariff across the country.

The ECC deferred the electricity bills for the month of September 2022 for commercial consumers in the flood affected areas till the next billing cycle and waived off electricity bills for the months of August and September 2022 for the non-ToU domestic consumers having 300 units consumption. It also approved additional supplementary grant of Rs 10.34 billion to cover waiver of electricity bills in flood affected areas.

It considered a summary of Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination and allowed fixation of Maximum Retail Prices (MRPs) of 18 new drugs as recommended by Drug Pricing Committee (DPC). The prices of these 18 new drugs are at the lowest as compared to the prices of same drugs in neighbouring countries, especially in India. It approved the recommendation of Drug Pricing Committee (DPC) for increase in Maximum Retail Price (MRP) of Paracetamol products and fixed price of Paracetamol Plain Tablet 500 mg at Rs 2.67 and Paracetamol Extra Tablet 500 mg at Rs. 3.32. It also approved the recommendation of Drug Pricing Committee (DPC) for reduction in Maximum Retail Prices (MRPs) of 20 drugs.