1 (26th Session) NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SECRETARIAT ———— “QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWERS AND THEIR REPLIES” to be asked at a sitting of the National Assembly to be held on Wednesday, the 25th November, 2015 165. *Shazia Marri: (Deferred during 20th Session) Will the Minister for Water and Power be pleased to state the impacts of imposition of 5% regulatory duty on consumer electricity tariff? Minister for Water and Power (Khawaja Muhammad Asif): Ministry of Water and Power has not imposed any regulatory duty on consumer electricity tariff. Further, the Cabinet Division/ NEPRA has also ratified that presently no regulatory duty has been imposed by the Government on electricity. 171. *Ms. Asyia Naz Tanoli: (Deferred during 20th Session) Will the Minister for Industries and Production be pleased to state the steps being taken or proposed to be taken by the Government against the use of Islamic names for products? Transferred to Cabinet Division for answer on Next Rota Day. 99. *Ms. Nighat Parveen Mir: (Deferred during 21st Session) Will the Minister for National Food Security and Research be pleased to state the steps being taken by the Government to control the adulteration in fresh/unpacked milk and unhygienic injections being injected to Cows and Buffaloes to increase production of milk therefrom in Islamabad? Transferred to Interior Division for answer on Next Rota Day. 2 24. *Mr. Sajid Nawaz: (Deferred during 24th Session) Will the Minister for Water and Power be pleased to state: (a) whether any Energy Conclave has been held by the Government to discuss the challenges being faced by the energy sector; (b) if so, the details alongwith the title of said Conclave; and (c) the steps being proposed to be taken as a result of said Conclave? Transferred to Planning Development and Reform Division for answer on Next Rota Day. 68. *Ms. Sajida Begum: (Deferred during 24th Session) Will the Minister for Industries and Production be pleased to state whether there is any proposal under consideration of the Government to establish Women Development Centre under the Small and Medium Enterprises Development in each district; if so, when it will be implemented? Minister for Industries and Producation (Mr. Ghulam Murtaza Khan Jatoi): No such proposal is under consideration of Government to establish Women Development Centres under Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) in each district. 161. *Mr. Asad Umar: (Deferred during 24th Session) Will the Minister for Water and Power be pleased to state the progress made so far on the proposal for conduction of water from Indus River System/Tarbela to overcome increasing water shortage in Islamabad/ Rawalpindi? Minister for Water and Power (Khawaja Muhammad Asif): A summary was initiated by the Ministry of Water and Power in 2011 for CCI on allocation of water for Rawalpindi and Islamabad. 3 CCI considered the summary on 1st June, 2011 and in principle agreed to the allocation of water out of the share of the Punjab for Rawalpindi, and by the provinces of Punjab, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for Islamabad to be shared in accordance with their prescribed share according to the Water Accord 1991. CCI also directed the Minister for Water and Power to hold consultation with the Chief Minister Sindh to obtain agreement of the province for allocation a part of its share for Islamabad without re-referring the matter to the Council of Common Interests. The Minister for Water and Power discussed the matter with Chief Minister Sindh who did not accede to this proposal. The implementation status of the decision was again discussed by CCI in its meetings held on 09-02-2012 and 10-02-2014 and decided that the Minister for Finance will resolve the issue in consultation with Provincial Chief Ministers within 30 days, without re-referring the matter to CCI. Working Paper for the meeting of Finance Minister with Chief Ministers was forwarded to Finance Division in March, 2014. The matter was again discussed by CCI on 29-05-2014 and it was decided that “keeping in view the importance and nature of the issue as well as for future requirement of the Federal Capital, the Council agreed to allow more time to Minister for Finance to resolve the issue in consultation with Chief Minister Sindh and the Leadership”. The Finance Minster briefed the CCI in its meeting held on March 18, 2015 that all Provinces except Sindh has agreed to share the water ‘requirement of Islamabad in accordance with apportionment of water formula. The Finance Minister further informed that consent of Chief Minister Sindh is required to finalize the issue. The Chief Minister Sindh requested the chair to spare two days time to formally announce the consent of the Province of Sindh. The CCI decided as under:— “The Council approved, allocation of water for Islamabad as per the original proposal subject to formal consent of the Province of Sindh to be received within two days:— i. 74 Cusecs water from the province of Sindh. ii. 74 Cusecs water from the province of Punjab iii. 24 Cusecs water from the province of KPK iv. 28 Cusecs water from the province of Balochistan”. 4 The implementation status of the decision of CCI is under process in consultation with all stakeholders, by Ministry of Inter Provincial Coordination. 168. *Mr. Sajid Nawaz: (Deferred during 24th Session) Will the Minister for National Food Security and Research Division be pleased to state: (a) whether there is any proposal under consideration of the Government to utilize satellite based applications for advanced and accurate weather forecasting for the benefits of the fishermen of the country; if so, the details thereof; and (b) the steps taken by the Government for development of the fishing technology? Minister for National Food Security and Research Division (Mr. Sikander Hayat Khan Bosan): (a) The subject is with the Ministry of Defence. (b) (i) The fishing technology prevalent in Pakistan is mostly based on indiscriminate fishing gears which are destroying most of our precious fisheries resources. (ii) There is a need to introduce and enforce targeted fishing technology for sustainable harvesting of fisheries resources. (iii) The main issue is related to enforcement, which is to be implemented by Government of Sindh and Balochistan and Maritime Security Agency. (iv) The Ministry has initiated a pilot project for culturing of shrimps/ prawns in the country. This has shown amazing results. Fisheries Development Board under Ministry of National Food Security and Research is active in promotion of aquaculture technologies and has introduced new aquaculture systems and species. 5 The steps taken of fishing technology are as under:— (a) Fisheries Development Board has provided training to about 1300 people for intensive fish farming, cage farming, net making and post- harvest handling and marketing areas. (b) Fisheries Development Board has also supported all these people with water quality test kits, netting material and fish handing kits. (c) Modern equipment and machinery like water aerators and fish hauling tanks have been introduced with the financial support from GIZ under TVET Reform support program. 170. *Ms. Khalida Mansoor: (Deferred during 24th Session) Will the Minister for National Food Security and Research be pleased to refer to Starred Question No.153 replied on 26th March, 2015 and to state whether there is any proposal under consideration of the Government to increase the amount of subsidy being given to farmers on account of urea; if so, when it will be implemented alongwith the details thereof? Minister for National Food Security and Research (Mr. Sikander Hayat Khan Bosan): No. 205. *Ms. Shazia Ashfaq Mattu: (Deferred during 24th Session) Will the Minister for National Health Services Regulations and Coordination be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that the provision of the medical treatment facilities to the citizens is their right and responsibility of the State under the Constitution; (b) whether it is also a fact that the Health Insurance Schemes have been introduced in developed countries to meet additional expenditure incurred upon medical treatment; (c) if the answers to parts (a) and (b) above are in affirmative, the reasons for not encouraging multinational companies to control the prices of medicines in the country? 6 Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination: (a) According to constitution of Pakistan (modified upto 28th February 2012, part 1, # 38, page 19) “The state shall provide basic necessities of life, such as food, clothing, housing, education and medical relief for all citizens, irrespective of sex, caste, creed or race, as are permanently or temporarily unable to earn their livelihood on account of infirmity, sickness or unemployment”. The constitution as is clear does not explicitly defines the right to treatment facilities. (b) in developing countries health insurance schemes have been introduced to meet expenditure incurred upon medical treatment and the premium is either payed by government or by individual itself. In Pakistan public sector health insurance scheme has been introduced for the very first time and is meant to cover all out-of-pocket and catastrophic hospitalization expenses for families living below poverty line. Through health insurance program all expenditure on hospitalization shall be covered by the insurance company. (c) Government of Pakistan and Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan are cognizant of their responsibilities and the following steps have beer taken to control the prices of medicines in the country: i. In March, 2015, Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan, with the approval of Federal Government, notificd a Drug Pricing Policy- 2015 wherein prices of medicines have been frozen till July, 2016 except increase allowed under orphan drugs, intravenous infusions and drugs under hardship category which have become non-viable to market. ii. Under the policy mechanism, the prices of new drugs have been linked with reference countries like India and Bangladesh (on same brand-same company basis) and regional prices.