Rs 7.812 billion deposited in Prime Minister's Flood Relief Fund, National Assembly told

An amount of Rs 7.812 billions was deposited in the Prime Minister's Flood Relief Fund 2010, till June 1, 2011. In a written reply, Minister In-charge Cabinet Division told National Assembly on Friday that out of the total amount Rs 3 million has been spent so far, while 184 small/medium projects with a total cost of Rs 7.33 billion has also been approved for execution by various agencies in flood-affected areas through the fund.
Meanwhile, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan told the lower house of the Parliament that Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Institute of Media Sciences (SBBIMS) would be established soon in the federal capital to impart comprehensive training and capacity building to the journalists.
In a written reply, the minister said that a memorandum of understanding will be signed soon with China for establishing the SBBIMS. Subsequently, the institute would be converted into university. The government strives to provide a level playing filed to media with a view to fostering growth in the industry, she said.
He said that currently the government is catering to the professional training needs of media persons of Pakistan Television and Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation. She said that the government believes in freedom of press and expression in the country as enshrined in Article 19 of the constitution.
The minister said that government welcomes healthy and positive criticism in line with its policy of promoting freedom of expression in the country. The government does not believe in press advice, censorship and control of content or information. It is precisely due to the reason that the country has lately witnessed unprecedented growth of print and electronic media, she said.
Procedures have been simplified for obtaining declaration and opening of new electronic media channels as a consequence of the policy, she said. To another question, she said that a total of 23 news agencies were working in the country while 33 FM stations of Radio Pakistan were also functioning.