On Wednesday, the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the federal cabinet approved Rs. 153 million Technical Supplementary Grant (TSG) for the Ministry of Water Resources to pay court proceedings fees for the Indus Waters Treaty dispute with India.

The apex committee, headed by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, also approved a technical supplementary grant of Rs. 4 billion (US$20 million) for the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training to cover the World Bank Programme “Actions to Strengthen Performance for Inclusive and Responsive Education.”

Ministry of Aviation submitted a summary on the challenges and re-opening of Roosevelt Hotel, New York, and briefed the meeting on the Committee’s negotiations with the New York City Government and the Hotel Union on a three-year agreement to use the Roosevelt Hotel (1,025 rooms) for immigrant housing. After a lengthy discussion, the ECC authorised the Hotel Union-New York City Government settlement.

The ECC also approved the Roosevelt Hotel’s withdrawal of pending cases against the Hotel Union and the City of New York under the Union’s settlement agreement. The ECC also ordered the PIAL to discuss its loan rollover business plan with the NBP.

Federal Ministers for Power Khurram Dastgir Khan, Industries and Production Syed Murtaza Mahmud, Climate Change Senator Sherry Rehman, Aviation/Railways Khawaja Saad Rafiq, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi MNA/Ex-PM, Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Dr Aisha Ghous Pasha, SAPMs on Finance Tariq Bajwa and Revenue Tariq Mehmood Pasha, Federal Secretaries, and other senior officers attended the meeting.