ISLAMABAD: A meeting of the Planning, Development and Special Initiative Committee has approved “The Public-Private Partnership (Amendment) Bill, 2020” with amendments and recommended that the bill may be passed by the assembly.

The meeting presided over by Junaid Akbar, however, deferred “The General Statistic (Reorganization) (Amendment) Bill, 2019”.

The meeting also unanimously confirmed the minutes of its previous meeting held on 9th September, 2020, and deferred the comprehensive report/implementation status of previous recommendations on the request of the ministry.

The representative from the ERRA briefed the committee about the rehabilitation work and use of funds on Balakot Bakhriya city, affected due to earthquake in 2005.

The Committee expressed its displeasure on the briefing given by the representative of the ERRA, and recommended that the agenda may be deferred till its next meeting with direction that the ERRA may submit detail of development and non-development expenditure incurred on the new Balakot City Development Project.

The Committee also desired that the ERRA may submit clear cut timeframe for the completion of the project.

The Committee recommended inviting all the members of the National Assembly from Abbottabad District as special invitees for getting their expert opinions in this regard, under Rule 227 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007, the Committee decided.

The Committee expressed its displeasure on not attending of the meeting by representative from concerned departments and ministries, and stated that bureaucracy was not giving importance to the standing committees.

The chairman of the committee stated that ministry whose senior officials had not bothered to come to the meeting should be asked to pay TA/DA.

However, after the additional secretary Ministry of Planning Development and Special Imitative requested the committee to give them one chance, the chairman disposed of the matter.—

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020