Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat discussed and approved the Pakistan Bait-ul-Maal (Amendment) Bill 2015 whereas deferred its discussion on another Pakistan Bait-ul-Maal (Amendment) Bill (Private Members Bill moved by MNA S.A Iqbal Quadri) due to absence of the mover.
The committee met under the chairmanship of Rana Muhammad Iqbal Khan in Parliament House here on Monday.
The Bill approved by the committee sought amendment in Sections 5 and 12 of the Pakistan Bait-ul-Maal Act 1991 making it consistent with the re-organization of Federal Secretariat in pursuance of 18th Amendment in the Constitution of Pakistan.
The Amendments would make the Pakistan Bait-ul-Maal board functional which had become defunct due to the devolution of various ministries of the provinces.
As per amendments, the secretary of the controlling ministry of Pakistan Bait-ul Maal would be the ex-officio chairperson of the board besides inclusion of a representative each of M/o Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony and NADRA in the board.
The committee deferred further discussion on “The Plant Breeders rights Bill 2015” for its meeting to be held during the next week. The committee unanimously opined that the Bill in question was of paramount importance for promoting private sector to take part in agriculture research and development sector and to establish a viable seed industry for improvement of agriculture by ensuring availability of high quality seeds and planting material to farmers.
The committee also decided to invite representatives of farmers and representatives of provinces seeds associations and seed producers in its meeting for their input before the Bill is approved for legislation.
The chairman Rana Muhammad Hayat Khan said that law after its passage by the Parliament would give a boost to the agriculture sector through provision of quality seeds to the farmers. He said that absence of quality and disease resistant seeds, the agriculture produce in the country had reduced. He also lamented the casual attitude of national and provincial Research and Development departments for not brining in high yielding seeds and planting materials for the farmers.
The meeting was attended by Mr. Sikandar Hayat Bosan, Minister for National Food Security and Research, MNAs Malik Ibrar Ahmad, Syed Javed Ali Shah, Sardar Muhammad Irfan Dogar, Ms. Parveen Masood Bhatti, Ms. Shahnaz Saleem, Ms. Farhana Qamar, Mr. Asad Umar, Ms. Nafeesa Inayatullah Khan Khattak, Moulvi Agha Muhammad, Syed Ali Raza Abidi, Mr. Muhammad Rehan Hashmi, Secretary M/o National Food Security and Research, Secretary Cabinet Division and officers of other concerned departments.
