Development budget : Standing committee on railways approves budget proposals

LAHORE:

The National Assembly Standing Committee on Railways has approved budgetary proposals on its Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for 2016-17.

Addressing the press on Friday, NA Standing Committee Chairman Syed Naveed Qamar said that Rs46.42 billion had been allocated under the PSDP for 2016-17.

He said that 98 per cent of the budget would be spent on ongoing projects. He said that in its 15th  meeting the standing committee also discussed the status of various cases under investigation of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) involving Pakistan Railway. He said that the proposals would now be sent to the Ministry of Finance for its approval.

Later, Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique said that progress would be made on implementation of an e-ticketing system by June. He said upgrades were underway for various trains and would be completed in three to four years.

He said the Supreme Court of Pakistan was hearing a petition on the status of land used for the establishment of the Royal Palm Golf Club. He said the railways would soon bring down its deficit from Rs27 billion to Rs25 billion. 

Published in The Express Tribune, April 30^th, 2016.