ISLAMABAD:The National Assembly on Wednesday passed sixty six demands for grants relating to different ministries, divisions and departments for the next fiscal year.
These demands were related to Climate Change, Commerce Division, Communications Division, Postal Services, Defense Division, Ministry of Federal Government Educational and Professional Training, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan, Housing and Works Division, Federal Lodges, Human Rights Division, Industries and Production Division, Information Technology and Telecommunication Division, Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination, Maritime Affairs Division, National Assembly, National Health Services, Overseas and Human Resource Development Division, Planning and Reform Division, Privatization Division, Pakistan Railways, State and Frontier Regions Division, Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony and others.
No cut motions were moved by the opposition on these demands for grants. The house also held discussion on the Charged Expenditure included in Demands for Grants and Appropriations for the next financial year.
Charged expenditures totaling over 43.47 trillion relate to different departments and services including Civil Works, Pakistan Railways, National Assembly, the Senate and domestic and foreign debt servicing.
Speaking on the charged expenditures, the members said that the government should reduce the policy rate. They pointed out that a major amount of the budget is going in debt servicing and the government should chalk out a strategy to put the country on path of self-reliance.
They called for revisiting the debt and economic strategy of the government. The members said loss making state entities like PIA and Pakistan Steel Mills should be privatized. They said that services of Pakistan Railways should be improved for the convenience of the passengers.