Setting up of PCRET: draft bill returned to ministry for further review

The National Assembly Standing Committee on Science and Technology, while expressing displeasure over the shortcomings in the draft bill for the establishment of Pakistan Council of Renewable Energy Technologies (PCRET), sent it back to the ministry for further review.
The committee met here on Monday with Dr Abdul Kadir Khanzada in the chair. The body deliberated upon the draft bill and directed the ministry to review it and overcome the deficiencies in the bill. The Director General (PCRET) briefed the committee about the aims and objectives of the said bill and informed the committee about the reservations of the employees in this regard. The Secretary and Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology also briefed the committee about the bill.
However, the committee observed that the ministry and the PCRET were not on the same page in this regard and directed the ministry to review the bill and overcome the deficiencies. The body further informed the ministry that PCRET was a research and development institution and its performance should be result-oriented.
The Representative of the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs also briefed the committee about the legal aspects of the bill. He apprised that the ministry could withdraw the bill and resubmit it after addressing the observations of the committee. Changez Khan Jamali, Minister for Science and Technology informed the committee that the ministry would withdraw the bill and revisit the deficiencies of the bill. The committee directed to put it on fast track so as to expedite the said legis1ation.