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Prime Minster directs ECC to evaluate Price of Petroleum Products after OGRA recommends increase

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ISLAMABAD, Apr 30: The Federal Cabinet on Tuesday decided to observe the office timings during holy month of Ramazan from 10 am to 4 pm to ensure maximum relief to the faithfuls, observing fast without compromising their productivity and a special Ramazan package would also be announced in next few days.

Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan said a special committee has been assigned the task to prepare a special Ramazan package to provide maximum relief to the masses during the holy month.

She said the committee will also make sure that no load-shedding was carried out during the holy month.

About proposed summary for increase in petroleum prices, she said that the Cabinet has delayed the decision to hike the prices of petroleum products.

The Prime Minister directed to send this recommendation from Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) to Economic Coordination Council (ECC) to review the same in order to pass minimum burden to the people, she added.

She said OGRA had recommended  to increase the prices of petroleum products by Rs 14 per litre but the Prime Minster directed that it should be discussed in the ECC again and efforts be made to give maximum relief to the masses.

She said that when the PTI came to power, prices of crude oil per barrel were about 47 to 53 Dollar but now it has crossed $ 77 per barrel. She said that from May 1, no change would be done in petroleum prices and its decision would be made after ECC recommendations.

Dr Firdous said the Federal Cabinet discussed in detail five legislative bills that will help resolve people's problems as part of people-friendly agenda of PTI government.

Highlighting main features, she said Enforcement of Women Property Rights bill will ensure that women get their due share in inheritance. Amendments in Code of Civil Procedure will help decide the civil cases swiftly whereas the Succession Certificates will now be issued by NADRA and heirs would get these certificates within a fortnight, saving their time and ensuring hassle-free procedure, she added.

Firdous Ashiq Awan said Whistle Blower Protection bill will also be introduced shortly to provide protection to whistleblowers regarding corruption in specific public institutions.

She said that it would provide 20 per cent incentive to the persons who would inform about corruption, abuse of authority and misuse of power.

She said an Anti-Corporal Punishment bill will also be tabled soon in the parliament to discourage the physical punishment and abuse at schools while Zainab Alert bill will also be introduced to stop any child abuse.

To a question, she said that these were public welfare bills and expressed the optimism that opposition would support the government in their passage from National Assembly as well as Senate. However, if the Opposition decided to oppose them, they would be exposed before the general public, she added.

Firdous Ashiq Awan said the Cabinet was taken into confidence regarding the proposed local government system in Punjab that will be on the pattern of the model, already successfully implemented in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

She said the new local government system will devolve the powers at the grassroots level and empower local people.

The Cabinet, she said congratulated Prime Minister Imran Khan on his successful China visit and fully endorsed the important agreements and MOUs, signed on socio-economic development, free trade and agriculture.

She said that Cabinet expressed the confidence that their positive impact would eventually ensure relief to the common man.

She said that Sehat Insaf Card would be provided to all families of erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Area people and their distribution was already underway in all districts on a daily basis, and so far 39,000
families have received these cards.

She said that  the Cabinet also discussed the steps taken so far for promotion of tourism sector in the country and transform it into a major industry.

She said that those nations, which had made rapid progress, formulated tourist-friendly policies and under Prime Minister’s vision, Pakistan had also opened up its policies to make Pakistan a hub of tourism.

It would also boost hospitality, food and transport industries and create tens of thousands of jobs for youth, he added.

She congratulated Water and Power Minister Faisal Vawda for upcoming groundbreaking of Mohmand Dam on May 2. She said that politicians make planning for few years to cash for next elections but Imran Khan has planned for the benefit and welfare of next generation.

She said that the Cabinet also decided to hold audit of the 1300 billion rupees circular debt in order to determine who was responsible for this increase, and the facts will be presented in next Cabinet meeting.

Firdous Ashiq Awan said the previous Punjab government had left a huge deficit while it left debt of Rs 100 billion, besides the bounced cheques worth Rs 80 billion. However, due to good governance and austerity measures taken by the incumbent government, a saving of Rs 100 billion has been made at the federal level.

She said the PM directed to ensure that austerity steps were implemented at both federal and provincial levels.

The Special Assistant to PM informed the media the Cabinet was also taken into confidence on various initiatives taken by Task Force on Institutional Reforms in various institutions.

 

(APP)

Posted on: 2019-04-30T22:30:00+05:00

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