ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Finance (MoF) is all set to start Demand Review Committee/Priority Committee meeting from Friday (Mar 22) under the chairmanship of Special Secretary Finance to review revised estimates for FY 2023-24 and budget estimates for FY 2024-25, well-informed sources told Business Recorder.
The Demand Review Committee will discuss the following agenda items: (i) performance based budgeting (FY 2024-25 to FY 2026-27); (ii) federal receipts (revised estimates FY 2023-24 and budget estimates FY 2024-25); (iii) revised estimates (current and development) FY 2024-25; (iv) details of grants and subsidies, along with their rationale and impact; (v) details of bank accounts/investment and assets; (vi) human resource review; (vii) foreign exchange budget (revised estimates FY 2023-24 and budget estimate for FY 2024-25); and (viii) climate and gender budgeting.
The Finance Ministry has requested all Principal Accounting Officers (PAOs), ie, Federal Secretaries/ Additional Secretaries Incharge to attend the meetings in person, accompanied by heads of department/organisations/ authorities. In case of unavailability, representation may not be below the rank of BS-21.
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The Demand Review Committee will start its meetings with Ministry of Defence, major attached departments, ie, Directorate of Military Land and Cantonments, Federal Government Educational Institutions (Cantonment/ Garrisons and Pakistan Maritime Security Agency, Surveyor General of Pakistan. The meetings will be attended Special Secretary, Military Finance and Heads of concerned Organisations/ Departments.
In the evening meetings will be held on Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) and subsidies for different sectors.
On March 25, 2024 from 10 am to 1 pm, Secretary Interior and Heads of Civil Armed Forces like, Pakistan Rangers Punjab, Pakistan Ranges, Sindh, Frontier Constabulary KP North, KP South, Frontier Corps, KP South and Balochistan, Pakistan Coast Guards and GB Scouts and also, Immigration and Passport. ICT Administration, ICT Police and CDA will present their demands for the next fiscal year.
In the evening of March 25, Ministry of Industries and Production and its attached Department Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) will share their update on revised budget of CFY 2023-24 and estimates for the FY 2024-25.
Heads of High Education Commission (HEC), NUST, NUTECH and COMSATS will share revised estimates of available budget and for the next fiscal year.
On March 26, Secretary, Railways Division will present his budget estimates. Secretary Petroleum, heads of major attached departments and Geological Survey of Pakistan will brief Finance Ministry’s team on budget estimates.
On March 27, Chairman FBR/Secretary Revenue Division will submit budget estimates and reply to the questions to be raised by the Budget Wing/Expenditure Wing of the Finance Ministry.
The same day, Secretary Communications and heads of Ministry’s attached departments such as National Highways and Motorway Police, National Highways Authority, PPOD, Construction Technology and Training Institute, National Transportation and Research Centre will give briefings.
On March 28, Secretary, National Health Services, Regulations & Coordination Division and heads of its attached organizations/departments, hospitals will share revised estimates of CFY 2023-24 and budget estimates for 2024-25.
Secretary, Economic Affairs Division (EAD) will also share revised estimates of foreign loans for CFY 2023-24 and projections for 2024-25.
On March, 29, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of National Food Security and Research (subsidy for PASSCO) will come under discussion. Expenditures of Pakistan Metrological Department, Airport Security Force and Intelligence Bureaus will also be discussed.
On March 30, 2024, budgets of Auditor General of Pakistan, Ministry of information including PID, APP, Information Missions Abroad, PBC and PTV will come under scrutiny.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024