G-B Assembly: ‘Wheat subsidy still not received’
The federal government owes the Gilgit-Baltistan government Rs11 billion in wheat subsidies.
GILGIT:
Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) Law Minister Wazir Shakil said that Rs11 billion in wheat subsidies promised by the federal government are yet to be received.
The law minister stated this while responding to a question by Member Legislative Assembly Rehmat Khaliq in the tenth session of G-B Assembly on Friday.
Food Minister Muhammad Jaffar told the house that the food subsidy was not being withdrawn. He added that they were devising a new policy where the funds generated by selling wheat will be credited to Pakistan Agricultural Storage & Supplies Corporation account directly instead of the federal government.
Amna Ansari, a PML-Q member, questioned the transparency in issuance of Watan Cards and claimed that members from the ruling party manipulated the system and got favours by influencing revenue officials to recommend persons of their choosing while the poor and flood-affected people are deprived and ignored.
She also questioned the appointment of two special assistants to the chief minister and advisors who are given various departments with powers of the provincial ministers.
The law minister deferred answers to the question for the next session with permission from the speaker.
In reply to a question on the status of contract-based doctors, G-B Health Minister said the services of all contract based doctors have been regularized in the region.
Advisor to Chief Minister, Aftab Haider, said that termination of temporary employees of forest department was made as they had been employed against a project whose funding had exhausted. He said the project will be revised and sacked employees would be rehired.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 29th, 2011.
Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) Law Minister Wazir Shakil said that Rs11 billion in wheat subsidies promised by the federal government are yet to be received.
The law minister stated this while responding to a question by Member Legislative Assembly Rehmat Khaliq in the tenth session of G-B Assembly on Friday.
Food Minister Muhammad Jaffar told the house that the food subsidy was not being withdrawn. He added that they were devising a new policy where the funds generated by selling wheat will be credited to Pakistan Agricultural Storage & Supplies Corporation account directly instead of the federal government.
Amna Ansari, a PML-Q member, questioned the transparency in issuance of Watan Cards and claimed that members from the ruling party manipulated the system and got favours by influencing revenue officials to recommend persons of their choosing while the poor and flood-affected people are deprived and ignored.
She also questioned the appointment of two special assistants to the chief minister and advisors who are given various departments with powers of the provincial ministers.
The law minister deferred answers to the question for the next session with permission from the speaker.
In reply to a question on the status of contract-based doctors, G-B Health Minister said the services of all contract based doctors have been regularized in the region.
Advisor to Chief Minister, Aftab Haider, said that termination of temporary employees of forest department was made as they had been employed against a project whose funding had exhausted. He said the project will be revised and sacked employees would be rehired.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 29th, 2011.