ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet on Monday approved in principle Rs12.8 billion for the Voluntary Separation Scheme (VSS) for 3,500 permanent employees of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
After reviewing the number of employees who opt for the VSS, the cost of this scheme will be worked out. However, the ECC decided to approve the summary in principle, so the PIA was granted a green signal to go ahead.
The cash-starved PIA will offer permanent employees VSS and around 3,500 employees will be laid off through the golden handshake scheme. This scheme will be called VSS as it will be availed by employees by their own choice.
The PIA management will take decisions after receiving applications. If 3,500 employees applied for VSS, all applications will be accepted but if more than 3,500 employees decided to apply for the VSS, then the management would devise criteria for the VSS offer.
The ECC also approved technical supplementary grants for the Ministry of Defence as fencing of the border with Iran would be done with these funds.
Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Dr. Abdul Hafeez Sheikh chaired the meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet at the Cabinet Division on Monday. Minister for Industries and Production Hammad Azhar, SAPM on Revenue Dr. Waqar Masood, SAPM on Petroleum Nadeem Babar and Adviser to the PM for Institutional Reforms and Austerity Dr. Ishrat Hussain attended the meeting. Governor State Bank of Pakistan Dr. Reza Baqir also participated through video link.
The ECC approved budgetary allocation in favour of NITB for provision of ICT services at the Prime Minister’s Office for Prime Minister’s Kamyab Jawan Programme for FY/2020-21 to the tune of Rs53 million as requested by the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication.
In the light of a summary presented by the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication regarding manufacturing of SIMs/Smart-cards in Pakistan, after due deliberation, the chair directed to constitute a committee to examine the proposal and present a report for the way forward within two weeks.
The committee would be chaired by the Minister of Industries and Production, Hammad Azhar, and would include representatives from the Ministry of IT & Telecom., FBR and Board of Investment (BOI).
Likewise, the ECC recommended to form a committee consisting of representatives from the Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFS&R) to decide a timeline for the export of Mango and Kinnow as deemed suitable by the aforesaid committee after due consultation with the stakeholders.
The ECC gave concurrence to the proposal by the Petroleum Division, in principle, regarding allocation of gas from Bashar X-IST to third party up to 1.0 MMCFD. The ECC also approved four separate Technical Supplementary Grants for the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Interior for various projects during current FY 2020-21.
