June 24, 2015
News
NA smoothly passes budget for 2015-16, supplementary grants amid opp boycott
* Govt accepts 56 out of 92 recommendations by Senate * Dar calls for ‘Charter of Economy’ on the lines of ‘Charter of Democracy’
APPISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government got approved its third budget from the National Assembly without any resistance due to the boycott of the opposition parties that continued for the second day on Tuesday.
In protest against excessive load shedding and heat-related deaths in Karachi, the opposition remained oblivious to the proceedings – a favour which was ‘most wanted’ by the government.The House continued proceeding unhindered and approved an outlay of Rs 4,451 billion for fiscal year 2015-16. The Senate had made 92 recommendations. Out of those, government accepted 56 and incorporated those in the federal budget, fully or partially.
The House also approved charged expenditures on supplementary demands of grants worth Rs 12.620 billion for the year ending on June 30, 2015.
According to the details of the charged expenditures as shown in the supplementary demands of grants and approved by the House, Rs 23.536 million have been allocated for superannuation, allowances and pensions and Rs 83.119 million for other expenditures of law, justice and human rights division. The further charged expenditures approved by the House included Rs 24 million for staff, household, and allowances of the president; Rs 11.923 billion for payment of short-term foreign credits; Rs 475.935 million for election and Rs 91.071 million for Wafaqi Mohtasib.
On the day, the House also approved supplementary budget of Rs 192.727 billion for various ministries and divisions, with Rs 21.408 billion for Cabinet Division, Rs 620.672 million, Rs 4.6689 billion for Establishment Division, Rs 19.87 billion for Defence Services and Division and Rs 9.336 billion for Finance Division.
The National Assembly also approved demand of Rs 1.29 billion for Foreign Affairs Division, Rs 68.005 million for Industries and Production Division, Rs 690.59 million for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Division, Rs 22.62 million for Interior Division and Rs 640.003 million for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan.
The House also accorded approval to the demand of Rs 125.738 million for Law, Justice and Human Rights Division; Rs 86.512 million for Religions Affairs and Inter-Faith Harmony Division, Rs 55,000 for Commerce Division, Rs 95 million for Revenue Division, Rs 37.619 million for Statistic Division, Rs 950 million for Education,
Training and Standards in Higher Education Division and Rs 162.653 million for National Food Security and Research.
Towards the end of the proceedings, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar appreciated input by the Senate as well as contribution by the political parties in National Assembly as he especially mentioned that this time the government had incorporated maximum proposals by the opposition parties.
He however repeated his proposal to evolve a charter of economy like `Charter of Democracy’ reached by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and late Benazir Bhutto. “This would give country an economic roadmap for next few decades ensuring continuity of policies and smooth decision to bring down fiscal and trade deficit.”
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk