NA body approves budgetary proposals of ministry worth Rs13.863bn

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Federal Education, Professional Training, National Heritage and Culture approved the budgetary proposals of the ministry amounting to Rs13.863 billion under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for the next financial year 2021-22.

The meeting held under the chairmanship of Mian Najeeb Ud Din Awaisi, where the ministry apprised the committee regarding proposed allocations for 33 projects (20 ongoing and 13 new) amounting to Rs13.863 billion of the Federal Education and Professional Training Division.

He also apprised the committee about proposed allocations for seven projects (two ongoing and five new) amounting to Rs178.268 million of the National Heritage and Culture Division.

After having detailed briefing, the Committee approved all the budgetary proposals relating to the PSDP for the next financial year 2021-22, and directed the Ministry of Finance and Revenue to provide the required funds to the ministry in the better interest of the country. The Committee unanimously recommended approving Government Bill, titled, “The Hyderabad Institute of Technical and Management Sciences Bill, 2020”.

The Committee also recommended to approve, “The PAF Air War College Institute Bill, 2021” with slight amendments.

The NCS-Institute of Sciences Bill, 2021, moved by James Iqbal, MNA was, however, deferred by the Committee till its next meeting on the request of minister.

The Committee also considered the Private Members’ Bills, titled, The Pakistan Academy of Letters (Amendment) Bill, 2019; The National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2019; The Islamabad Capital Territory Private Educational Institutions (Registration and Regulation) (Amendment) Bill, 2019 (moved by Amjid Ali Khan, MNA); The Higher Education Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2019 (moved by Keeso Mal Kheeal Das, MNA); and, The Prevention of Drug usage in Educational Institutions Bill, 2020 (moved by Shahida Rehmani, MNA).

The Committee recommended that the said bills might not be approved by the assembly.

The meeting was attended by Ali Nawaz Awan, Sadaqat Ali Khan Abbasi, Javairia Zafar Aheer, Nafeesa Inayatullah Khan Khattak, Andleeb Abbas, Asma Qadeer, Tashfeen Safdar, Mehnaz Akber, Ch Muhammad Hamid Hameed, Kiran Imran Dar, Abid Hussain Bhayo, and Mussarat Rafiq Mahesar, MNAs.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021