PESHAWAR: The provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa received a huge amount of Rs.918 billion under the head of net hydel profit (NHP) from the federal government during the period of last five years. However, not a single penny was paid to it during last financial year.
This was told during the question-hour of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Tuesday.
In a written reply to a question of Inayatullah of Jammat-e-Islami (JI), it was told that the provincial government had taken up the matter in meetings of Council of Common Interest (CCI) and a committee was formed on December 23, 2019 to determine the payment.
The CCI committee held three meetings and would submit its report to CCI after finalizing it in the light of recommendations of the committee members. Earlier, Inayatullah asked that what measures the PTI government had taken for recovery of arrears in head of electricity arrears when PTI was in power at federal level.
Naeema Kishwer of PTI and Nighat Orakzai of PPP said that the issue should be taken seriously to get the recover net hydel profit from the federal government.
Responding to the supplementary questions, the Minister for Law Fazl Shakoor said that under AGN Qazi formula, the profit was being paid at the rate of Rs 8.9 per unit and Rs 918 billion has been paid on the basis of the same rate. He said that a memorandum of understanding was signed in 2016 between the federal and provincial government for payment of net hydel profit as per Rs 1.1 per unit rate and Rs 20 billion was being paid annually since then.
Minister for Labour Shaukat Yousafzai said that there is a government of 13 parties in the center at the moment and their representatives should raise the issue with the federal government to find a solution to this issue.
He deplored that those who criticized the issue in the province become silent before the federal government, adding that PTI government under the leadership of Pervez Khattak raised the issue.
He said all the parties have fought for the right of the province during their time, adding that the provincial government would not retreat an inch from its right.
Meanwhile, the house adopted two bills and deferred one due to absence of Minister for Education.
The passed bills included KP Safe Blood Transfusion Project (Phase-II) Employees (Regularization of Services) bill, 2022 and KP Apprenticeship bill, 2022. Meanwhile, the House deferred KP Razmak Cadet College Regulation (Repeal) Bill, 2022 due to absence of minister for education.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022