Federal Minister for Water and Power Liaquat Ali Jatoi on Friday, while answering a question, informed the National Assembly that raising of Mangla dam would cost Rs 62.552 billion and work on the project was started in September, 2003.
The minister further informed that a sum of Rs 4.061 billion has already been incurred on the project by the end of July.
On a question raised by MNA Muhammad Hussain Mehanti, the minister told that total amount of expenditure on the Kalabagh dam including feasibility studies up to August 2004 is Rs 1226.684 million.
Responding to a question by MNA Pir Syed Fazal Ali Shah Jilani, the minister said estimated cost of electrification for Sanghar and Khairpur districts is Rs 54.842 million.
139 villages of these districts have been electrified so far and electrification work in 117 villages has been completed, while 19 villages are under process of electrification scheme.
Minister in-charge for cabinet division Sherry Rehman, while answering a question raised by MNA Hizbullah Bugio, informed that Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) is following provincial quotas for recruitment.
The Ogra, being a specialised professional body, needs qualified and experienced professionals and in case persons with the requisite experience and qualifications are not available from a region, the authority recourses to merit.
The minister, in reply to a question raised by MNA Hakim Qari Gul Rehman, said that the Printing Corporation of Pakistan (PCP) Karachi Press earned a profit of Rs52,924,164 in 2003-04; Islamabad Press (Rs51,126,527); and Lahore Press (Rs24,728,914).
He further informed that the Printing Corporation of Pakistan has 16 vacancies at present in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi in addition to 5 daily-wagers.
Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on a question raised by MNA Maulana Abdul Akber Chitrali stated that there are 4400 employees are working in PTV on permanent basis besides 54 contractual workers and annual expenditure incurred on their salaries is Rs 1469.465 million.
Liaquat Ali Jatoi informed the House that the KESC is charging Rs3.67 per kwh tariff which has been approved by Nepra while presently uniform tariff is being charged by Wapda.
The minister further informed that Rs 2270 million has been incurred on the Greater Thal Canal project up to the end of September 2004.
He said that generation capacity of Ghazi Barotha dam is 1450mw and a provision of Rs 8,000 million is provided in the PSDP 2004-05 for the contractor's payments based on their defect liability time period.
Liaquat Ali Jatoi informed that Wapda has so far launched and completed 61 salinity control and reclamation projects covering a gross area of 5.227 million acres.