The opposition and treasury members in the National Assembly grilled the government on Friday on the alleged misappropriation in the utilisation of Rs 2.58 billion budgetary allocation for Population Welfare Programme. Minister of Population Shehbaz Hussain, Health Minister Nasir Khan and Food and Agriculture Minister Sikandar Hayat Bosan were absent from the house despite questions being raised on their ministries' affairs.
PLM (N) member Tehmina Dultana, referring to quorum, said that ministers always remain absent from the house.
Speaker Amir Hussain gave his observation that question hour must be taken seriously, as this is the process of accountability of the government by opposition.
He directed all ministers and state ministers to attend the proceedings of the house when questions regarding their ministries are being raised.
Regarding annual allocation for Anti-Smoking Campaign, Parliamentary Secretary for Health Rahila Yahya said that the government has allocated Rs 3 million for the campaign which would be increased to Rs 10 million.
She said that the government has no proposal under consideration to allocate one percent central excise duty sales tax and tobacco cess for anti-smoking campaign.
Ghulam Murtaza Satti criticized government's policy to control high population growth rate and questioned the authenticity of figure of 2.9 million increase in population with the ratio of 1.9 percent.
Rahila said that the 'Federal Board of Statistic' issued the statistics of population ratio and ministry is striving hard to reduce population growth rate from 1.9 to 1.3 percent annually by 2020.
The house was informed that 12,000 lady health workers are being recruited for the provision of population welfare facilities in the country.
Parliamentary Secretary for Food Agriculture and Livestock Rajab Ali Baloch said that 20.2 million tons production of wheat is expected this year and the area of wheat cultivation has increased by 1.5 percent and wheat support price had been increased from Rs 300 to Rs 400 per 40 kg.
He said that shortage of urea and other nitrogenous fertilisers was addressed through import of urea fertilizers with a subsidy of over Rs 3 billion and 50 kg urea bag price ranges from Rs 450 to Rs 500.
The house was informed that government has allocated Rs 60 million for 'grow more wheat' during the current 'Rabi' season for all provinces.
Sattar criticized the high rise in inputs of wheat as the wheat growers are suffering due to high cost of inputs and low profit from wheat production, as there are big faults in purchase system.
Another member criticized that 50 percent gas is supplied to the whole country from NWFP but residents of the province are deprived of this facility. He criticized non-provision of certified seed by the government which he said is the root cause of low wheat production.
Fazal Kamran said "why the recommendations of Health Conference held in Islamabad are not being implemented till now".
Sherry Rehman inquired about expenditure incurred on media campaign for population control and said that media assessment impact report should be presented by the ministry of population.
On question raised by Kursheed Shah, the Parliamentary Secretary was unable to give the exact ratio of population increase in Sindh (Urban). However, she said that population ratio in Sindh (Urban) increased due to migration from Sindh (Rural).
Gul-e-Farkahnda from Tharparkar criticized that the population ministry was not providing ISO-certified medical products.
Treasury member Mehnaz Rafi demanded of the government to adopt law for the protection of child.
In reply to a question by Aman-ullah-Khan about exact number of child abuse, Parliamentary Secretary for Population was unable to produce the figures.
Hussain Ahmed criticized the government for not establishing any institution for orphan and destitute children in the country.
To a question by Farkhanda, the Parliamentary Secretary for Health was unable to give the exact figures of Hepatitis patients; however, she said that percentage of blood transmitted Hepatitis was 2.5 percent, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B 4.2 percent, Hepatitis C 5.2 percent.
She said that Rs 2.5 billion has been allocated to minimise the burden of morbidity and mortality from waterborne and bloodborne Hepatitis.
Abdul Akbar Chitrali from opposition raised the issue of non-existence of religious column in passport and problems faced by overseas Pakistanis to obtain Identity Cards and said that MRPs provision through machines be made possible in foreign countries.
The Speaker directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Interior to make a joint policy for the computerised delivery of passports and I.D cards to Pakistanis in foreign countries.
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