Balochistan to get representation on PPL, OGDC and SSGCL boards

25 Nov, 2009

Federal government has proposed due representation of Balochistan on the Boards of the PPL, OGDC and Sui Southern Gas under Aghaz-e-Huqooq-e-Balochistan Package.
The other proposals are that where contracts are awarded the said district should be given 15 percent of revenue to be received by the provincial government and the distribution companies should be obligated under contract/law to provide on priority basis gas to the district where it is explored, in case of a successful find the federal government shall spend an amount equivalent of 10 percent of the net profits on development projects in the area.
The ascertainment of profits shall be open to scrutiny by independent/third party auditors. The Federal government has released the accrued production bonus to the districts producing oil and gas, rationalisation of the royalty formula and the Gas Development Surcharge have resorted to, the concept of public-private ownership in the areas of a district granted for exploration should be followed. This should be adhered to in letter and spirit.
All new mega projects be initiated with the consent and approval of the provincial government. The share of the province in its profits/benefits to be assured in the contract/agreement, the concept of public-private ownership in such projects to be followed wherever possible. In Gwadar there shall be a free economic zone and political activities in the said zone may be regulated by an appropriate law to be framed in consultation with all the stakeholders.
In Gwadar all, or as far as possible, appointments in BS 1 to 16 should be from the local population. the local youth should be provided technical training and absorbed in GPA, GDA and Special Economic Zone, preference should be given to the qualified local contractors while awarding contracts related to the port, compensation and reallocation of all those fishermen who are being displaced due to the Gwadar Port must be finalised immediately.
The two jetties agreed to be constructed for the fishermen on the Eastern and Western Bays be constructed, a fisheries training center as required to be established under the Five-Year Plan for Balochistan, a portion of the revenue collected by the Gwadar Port Authority be allocated for the development of the Province.
The Chief Minister shall be the Ex-Officio Chairman of the Gwadar Development Authority and there shall be seven members from the province on the Board of Directors, the provincial government of Balochistan will nominate a person duly qualified to be the Chairman of the Gwadar Development Authority. There should be a special development package for the area and the armed forces should be systematically withdrawn from the area.
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES: The federal government will create, with immediate effect, 5000 additional jobs for the province, the quota for the province as prescribed in the rules/law for employment in government (specially foreign service), semi-government, autonomous, semi-autonomous, corporations and bodies must be strictly complied with. Deficiency if any, needs to be met in a proactive manner.
The Overseas Employment Foundation needs to facilitate the recruitment of skilled or unskilled labour for employment aboard. The local people living along the coast who meet the criteria should be given jobs in the Coast Guards, the monitoring of the aforesaid shall be the responsibility of the Standing Committee for Establishment, Senate of Pakistan.
The federal government agrees to pay the arrears of Gas Development Surcharge from 1954 to 1991. This is a total amount of Rs 120 billion payable in 12 years. In organisations such as PPL, OGDCL and Sui Southern, the province will be able to purchase up to 20 percent of the right shares when offered in the open market. The federal government from its 30 percent shares in the project will immediately give 20 percent to the province.
On completion of the project and when the foreign company withdraws the project shall be owned exclusively by the province. There shall be a uniform price of gas throughout the country for the purpose of calculation of GDS. Fishing trawlers should be restricted to the authorised limits of 33 kilometres from the coast. This will help promote the small fishermen.
KOHLU DISTRICT: Special incentives should be given to the local tribes to facilitate exploration in the area, which continues to be closed due to security concerns.
POVERTY ALLEVIATION: In all poverty alleviation schemes, the allocation of the province should be proportional to the percentage of people living below the poverty line.
PROFIT SHARING IN EXISTING AGREEMENTS: (I) It is proposed that existing agreements on projects such as Saindak, Rekodic and others where agreements have already been negotiated, the federal government may reconsider the agreement concerning the sharing of income, profits or royalty between the federal government and the provincial government.
DERA BUGTI INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS: The federal government for the rehabilitation and settlement of the IDPs shall provide a sum of Rs 1billion.
WATER MANAGEMENT: The federal government shall immediately undertake schemes which include the construction of small dams throughout the province but particularly in the districts of Quetta, Pasheen, Qila Abdullah, Qila Saifullah and Zhob.

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