Communication Minister Arbab Alamgir Khan on Thursday informed the National Assembly that the National Highway Authority (NHA) was currently constructing 61 development projects worth Rs 625 billion in various areas of the country.
“An amount of Rs 44 billion has been allocated under the PSDP for the current fiscal year (2011-12) but only Rs 18 billion have been released until now,” the communication minister told the House during Question Hour. He said most of the projects were not being completed at the stipulated time due to a lack of funds. He said it was decided that the NHA would provide funds to those projects which were 60 percent complete.
Responding to another supplementary question, the minister said Rs 4 billion was required to remove around 7,500 houses for completion of Lyari Expressway. He told the House that NHA had disbursed Rs 0.5 million each to the victim of Sher Shah Bridge tragedy, adding that additional Rs 0.5 million each was paid to them on Supreme Court directives. Khan said work on 358 meters Khushalgarh Bridge was started in October 2011 and the projects would be completed by October 2013. He said PC1 of the project was estimated as Rs 1, 538 million. The NHA would provide 50 percent fund for the project while OGDCL and MOL Oil Company would share the remaining fund.
The minister said the NHA had undertaken rehabilitation and upgrading of foue-lane road between Lahore-Gujranwala (N-5) into six-lane. “The main carriageway has already been opened to traffic. However, certain ancillary works are under execution, he said and added that the project now would be completed by June.” The National Assembly was also informed that commitments worth $370 million had been made by national and international agencies for Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) during the last three years.
Minister for Religious Affairs Khurshid Shah told the National Assembly that 85 percent of the amount had been received so far. He said $172 million dollars had been disbursed to the BISP for the onward distribution to the eligible families. He said a programme was also underway to pay the electricity bills of the eligible families under the BISP programme.
National Assembly Deputy Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi took strong notice of the absence of ministers and parliamentary secretaries from proceedings of the House to respond to various questions and calling-attention notices of the members. Responding to Kundi’s concerns, PPP Chief Whip Khursheed Shah said he would record protest of the House with the concerned ministers, adding that next time ministers and parliamentary secretaries’ presence in the House would be ensured.
Separately, responding to another question, Parliamentary Secretary for Information Technology Nawab Liaquat Ali Khan told the House that Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB), through the Ministry of Commerce was negotiating with many countries including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan, Iran, Nepal, Maldives, Vietnam, Italy, Serbia, Egypt, Tunisia, Sudan, Mauritius and Ireland for mutual cooperation and investment in IT and IT enabled sectors in Pakistan. He said foreign companies were offered cooperation and encouraged to invest in IT and IT enabled services sector through public and private forums on a regular basis by Pakistan Software Export Board. He said the companies had also been exempted from tax till 2016.
Responding to another question, Nawab Liaquat Ali Khan said the government had taken a number of steps to enhance edible oil production in the country. He said projects of cultivation of olive oil in Malakand and Palm oil in Sindh were underway that would yield positive results after completion. He said at present edible oil worth $ two billion was being imported.
Responding to another question, Liaquat informed the House that the government had taken a number of measures to increase the production of wheat during the year 2010-12. He said the government increased the wheat support price from Rs 950 per 40 kilogrammes to Rs 1,050 per 40 kilogrammes. He said there was no shortage of urea and other fertilizers in the country but there was a problem of hoarding. He said the provincial government has been advised to ensure smooth supply of urea on the fixed prices to the growers.
