ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said that efforts are being made to revamp Pakistan Television (PTV) to make it a vibrant media organisation.
Responding to a question during Question Hour in the National Assembly on Wednesday, the minister said that we are bringing private anchorpersons in PTV. He said that the government is committed to making PTV a profitable media organisation.
About daily wages, the minister said that the policy of minimum wages of 37,000 rupees has been implemented and a case has been moved to the Board of Directors of PTV for formal approval for the enforcement of minimum wages.
He said that the PTV ensures that all employees, whether permanent, contractual, or temporary are paid in accordance with the minimum wage standards set by the government. The Corporation takes this responsibility seriously and continuously reviews its policies to ensure that they align with the legal requirements concerning employee wages and benefits.
In written reply to a question, Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Chaudhary Salik Hussain told the house that a total of Rs256.937 billion amount of fund are available in the Worker Welfare Fund (WWF) at present (30-06-2024).
He said that Rs208.551 billion funds are available in WWF Trust Fund Account G-06304 maintained by Accountant General Pakistan Revenues (AGPR). He said that Rs48.386 billion is available in Federal Consolidated Fund with the Finance Division.
Answering a question regarding daily-wages staff working under Chaklala Cantonment Board, Rawalpindi Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said daily wages staff is contingent paid workers and they are engaged on purely daily wages basis and there are no sanction vacant posts against such daily wages. Hence, it is not possible to regularise their services.
Replying to another question regarding the fire incident in Weekly Bazaar H-9, the Minister for Information and Broadcasting said the fire erupted on 10th July this year, burning 625 stalls. He said due to that incident, the financial loss reached up to around Rs280 million as per stall holders.
Attaullah Tarar further said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in light of an inquiry report into the incident, directed the authorities concerned to develop a fire safety plan.
He said the Prime Minister has further instructed to conduct a comprehensive fire safety audit of all Mercantile Bazaars in the federal capital on the first week of every month as per Islamabad Fire Prevention and Life Safety Regulations, 2010, and international best practices.
To a question, Minister of State for Information Technology Shaza Fatima Khawaja said the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has launched three projects worth over Rs873 million to elevate the infrastructure of services in rural areas of Islamabad to urban standards.
She said these projects include rehabilitation and improvement of Gokina and Mandiala road, Phulgran Sakreela and Member road as well as NaiAbadi and Huzaifa Town road.
Responding to a calling attention notice, Minister for Information Tarar has stressed the need to change the mindset of not giving inheritance rights to women. He said that a special committee should be constituted with the representation of the provinces to address the issue of inheritance right of property to women. He said the government has done legislation to facilitate women in getting inheritance rights.
Tarar said the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is ready to launch an awareness campaign to highlight the importance of giving inheritance rights to
women as per the spirit of Islam.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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