NA body okays Defence Ministry's Rs3791mn budgetary proposals

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Defence Thursday approved Rs 3791.196 million budgetary proposals presented by the Ministry of Defence to execute five ongoing, four newly approved and 49 unapproved projects and incorporating them in the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2017-18.

The committee meeting, chaired by Shaikh Rohale Asghar, agreed with all the proposals, presented before it one-by-one, and okayed them to include in the PSDP 2017-18, with Dr Shireen Mehrunnisa Mazari's dissenting views on some of the schemes.

The Defence authorities presented the proposals and briefed the lawmakers on five ongoing projects worth Rs 1019.476 million relating to military land and cantonments, Ministry of Defence (main), Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA), Survey of Pakistan (SOP) and National Engineering and Scientific Commission.

They apprised the body about Rs 201.143 million proposals for three newly approved schemes of the SOP and one for up-gradation of Federal Government Educational Institutions operating in different cantonment areas of the country.

The authorities also presented details of 49 unapproved projects worth Rs 2570.577 million relating to the PMSA, SOP, Ministry of Defence (main), Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology, schools up-gradation, military land and cantonments.

For the ongoing schemes, the committee okayed Rs 148.695 million to lay water distribution network for Rawalpindi and Chaklala Cantonment Boards, which is based on the Khanpur Dam water source.

It approved Rs 6.648 million for installation of security equipments at Pakistan Secretariat No-II Rawalpindi, Rs 10 million for procurement/construction of six Maritime Patrol Vessels, Rs 4.133 million for development of training area and boundary walls for Survey Training Institute at H-8/2 and Rs 450 million for National Electronics Complex of Pakistan.

For the newly approved schemes, the body agreed to grant Rs 35.810 million for establishment of Geodatic Datum of Pakistan, Rs 100 million for construction of Office Complex of SOP Lahore, Rs25.736 million for construction of 18 category-IV and V flats in the premises of SOP Quetta and Rs 201.143 million for development/expansion of six federal government educational institutions in Multan.

Among others, the meeting was attended by Murtaza Javed Abbasi, Muhammad Ijaz ul Haq, Sanjay Perwani, Malik Muhammad Amir Dogar, Dr Shireen Mehrunnisa Mazari, Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, Saeed Ahmed Khan Manais, Lt Col (Retd) Gulam Rasul Sahi and Sardar Muhammad Shafqat Hayat Khan, besides senior officials of the Ministry of Defence.