ECC okays five summaries to implement FBR transformation plan

ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet approved five summaries on Tuesday to implement the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) Transformation Plan at Rs32.5 billion, which includes the purchase of 1,087 vehicles for field officers across the country.

The vehicles, intended for officers in grades 17 and 18, are designated strictly for operational mobility. The ECC approved the purchase with an estimated budget of Rs5.6 billion. The FBR sources maintain that the vehicles are direly needed to enhance bureau’s field performance. The meeting, chaired by Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb, took place at the finance division.

The ECC also reviewed and approved a summary from the Election Commission of Pakistan requesting a technical supplementary grant of Rs1.317 billion for conducting local government by-elections in Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan, as well as local government elections in Islamabad and Punjab during the FY2024-25. Additionally, the ECC evaluated five separate summaries submitted by the FBR as part of its transformation plan, which was previously approved by the prime minister. These summaries focused on the following key areas: Enhancing FBR’s operational expertise and organisational capacities. Performance management for FBR officers. Capacity-building programmes for FBR officers. Anti-smuggling measures under the FBR transformation plan. Mobility and transit accommodations for FBR officers. The ECC discussed these proposals in detail and granted approval, stipulating that a third-party impact evaluation of the processes and KPIs outlined in the proposals will be conducted before the next fiscal budget. Additionally, a similar evaluation of outcomes, based on established KPIs, will be carried out at the end of 2025 to assess the effectiveness and impact on revenue generation and resource mobilisation. It was also decided that the revenue and finance divisions would collaborate on the mechanics, including budgeting, allocation, and release of funds under the five proposals, through joint consultation. Finally, the ECC approved a summary from the Ministry of Communications (Postal Services Wing) for a technical supplementary grant of Rs16.995 billion to clear verified pending liabilities owed to companies and agency partners of the Pakistan Post Office Department.