ECC approves 1 million tons of wheat purchase amid concerns
Wheat harvesting. File Photo
Wheat harvesting. File Photo
Islamabad (Web Desk): The government has approved a major financial move by shifting Rs1 million from development funds to the Prime Minister’s Austerity Fund.

This decision was taken in a quick meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) led by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb.

Officials said the money will help manage rising oil prices and protect people from sudden fuel price increases.

The move comes as global tensions, especially in the Gulf region, are affecting petroleum prices and supply.

However, the planning ministry did not fully agree with this decision and may now face serious funding shortages for ongoing projects.

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To arrange this amount, the government reduced the budgets of different ministries and development projects.

Major cuts include Rs22,300,000,000 from the National Highway Authority, Rs12,900,000,000 from water projects, and Rs9,100,000,000 from the power sector.

Education, defense, and regional development funds for Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan have also been reduced.

At the same time, the ECC has reversed its earlier decision and approved the purchase of one million metric tons of wheat.

This wheat will be bought through the private sector to maintain reserves and stabilize the market.

Earlier, the government had stopped wheat buying under IMF conditions, which caused problems for farmers.

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Officials said the new decision aims to balance market stability, support farmers, and ensure enough wheat stock in the country.

However, the government is already struggling to sell around two million metric tons of wheat stored with PASSCO.

The ECC stressed that future decisions will depend on crop conditions, market trends, and financial capacity.

The committee also warned against unnecessary buying that could create extra financial burden or storage issues.