Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar has said that total cost of CPEC projects including ML-1 Railway project is approximately $ 50 billion out of which 13 projects at estimated cost of $ 11 billion are complete, 13 projects at cost of $ 18 billion are under implementation, whereas $ 21 billion projects are in pipeline.
In a written reply to questions of the members of the National Assembly during the question hour session, the minister said that the second memorandum of understanding (MoU) with China is about to establish a joint working group under CPEC for promotion and implementation of the Socio-Economic Development Project through Chinese government grants and interest-free loans under CPEC and following six sectors are identified for cooperation; (i) agriculture, (ii) education, (iii) medicine, (iv) poverty alleviation, (v) water supply, and (vi) vocational training.
Responding to another question about amnesty schemes, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan told the House that the previous Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government had collected Rs 123 billion against 76,958 persons who had availed the scheme while Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has collected Rs 62 billion against 124,587 persons.
Parliamentary Secretary for Commerce Aliya Hamza Malik told the House that the country's exports enhanced by 4.79 percent during the first five months of current fiscal year. She said the trade deficit stands reduced by 35 percent which is a big success.
In a written reply to a question, the minister for finance and revenue acknowledged rising inflation and told the House that millions of rupees were spent on maintenance of official vehicles.
He said that Rs 190.56 million were spent by Finance Ministry and its subsidiaries on maintenance of 1,909 vehicles in last five years. He said that Rs 46.8 million were spent on 31 vehicles of Finance Ministry, Rs 46.4 million on 198 vehicles of Auditor General, Rs 9.2 million were spent on 54 vehicles of Zarai Taraqiati Bank, Rs 49.4 million on 58 vehicles of National Bank and Rs 1.77 billion were spent on 1,490 vehicles of Federal Board of Revenue.
Responding to a calling attention notice moved by Ali Nawaz Awan, Minister for Power Umer Ayub told the House that the tariff structure is being revised of the electricity connections for tube wells meant for community based supply schemes.
He said talks are continuing with the NEPRA in this regard and the revised structure will bring down the power tariff for these tube wells.
Umer Ayub said Pakistan is a peace-loving country and Prime Minister Imran Khan has promoted the positive and soft image of Pakistan by opening the Kartarpur Corridor. He said the Sikh community across the world is recognizing and acknowledging this very positive step of Pakistan. He said the world on the other hand is criticizing discriminatory steps of Indian government against minorities and demanding withdrawal of the Indian Citizenship Act.
Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly, Minister for Communications Murad Saeed said the benefits of economic stability achieved by the country in the year 2019 will now be transferred to the masses.
He pointed out that the government has launched Sehat Insaf Card scheme under which the card holders can get medical treatment up to seven hundred and twenty thousand rupees at the public and private hospitals.
He said the process to distribute 5.7 million Sehat Insaf cards has been started, adding 53,480 people will be provided with these cards in the federal capital by March this year.
The minister said the government has now launched a multibillion rupees relief package through Utility Stores Corporation for provision of essential commodities to the people at reduced rates.
PPP MNA Abdul Qadir Patel said that inflation is at the highest peak in the history of Pakistan and the government should know the ground realities. He said that the prices of medicines have been increased from 300 percent to 400 percent. He said that poor people, small farmers and fisherman are in miserable condition due to price hike in the country. He claimed that the PTI government is eliminating middle class which is backbone of the country.
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