Pakistan received a total of $3 billion financial assistance from foreign countries and donors from July 2005 to September 2019 in connection with earthquakes and out of the amount, Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) obtained $ 2.3 billion including $ 1.75 billion loans and $541.58 million grants for reconstruction, rehabilitation and development projects for quake-affected people.
Economic Affairs Division (EAD) Tuesday told this to the National Assembly Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat, which met here with Syed Amia-ul-Haque in the chair at Parliament House. The committee discussed the development projects for reconstruction and rehabilitation of quake-affected people, Islamabad Club (Administration) (Amendment) Bill, 2019, performance of Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) and other issues.
An official of EAD told the committee that during the 2005 earthquake, a number of donors supported the rehabilitation activities through grants and loans. He said that donors have given a total of $188.66 million including $96.09 million loan and $ 92.57 million grants for budgetary support, $2 billion including $1.65 billion loan and $ 273.87 million grants for development projects and $ 17.94 million grants for the President Relief Fund.
The meeting was told that New Balakot City project for earthquake-affected people, worth Rs 13.5 billion, has been delayed due to non-availability of encumbrance-free land and fund paucity. The machinery of the contractor is standstill. Acquired land is part of master plan of New Balakot city project, he said.
An official of ERRA told the committee that a total of 10,847 development projects have been completed, 2,227 projects are under construction while 1,630 projects could not be launched. He said that many projects are being delayed due to non-availability of funds and their costs are being increased. He said that a total amount of Rs 5 billion has been allocated this year and Rs 115.52 billion have been released so far.
The committee directed the Cabinet Division to write to governments of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Jammu and Kashmir to allocate funds from their budgets for the ongoing projects within their jurisdiction and involve local parliamentarians for ensuring their completion without further delay. The committee also directed Finance Division to allocate and release required funds to ERRA so that the ongoing projects could be completed. The committee passed the Islamabad Club (Administration) (Amendment) Bill, 2019 without any amendment. The Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat has also constituted a sub-committee under the convenership of Ali Nawaz Awan, MNA, to formulate recommendation for the allocation of separate employment quota for the domicile holders of Islamabad Capital Territory. The committee decided to appoint a sub-committee in wake of non-formulation of recommendation till date for reservation of employment quota for domicile holders of ICT in pursuance of directions of Islamabad High Court. The committee had been asked to submit its recommendations within 30 days. Later, Chairperson Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) Uzma Adil Khan briefed the committee about the working and performance of OGRA. She also told the committee that the post of member gas has been vacant for the last three years. The committee appreciated the performance of OGRA and directed that the Authority should ensure uninterrupted and unadulterated supply of petroleum products in the country. The committee also directed OGRA to ensure supply of gas to the domestic consumers especially during the winter season.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2019
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