1 (35th 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 Monday, the 19th July, 2021 48. *Jam Abdul Karim Bijar: (Deferred during 27th Session) Will the Minister for Water Resources be pleased to state: (a) how long more, Neelum-Jhelum (NJ) surcharges will be collected or remain enforced alongwith date of collection; (b) whether it is a fact that over and above collection is being made under the head of NJ surcharge from consumers; if so, the justification thereof; (c) is there any legal statutes, which empowers the Government to make such collection up till now; (d) the estimated over and above collection in recent years; and (e) whether there is any proposal under consideration of the Government to refund over and above collection of NJ surcharge; if so, the details thereof; if not, the reasons thereof? Minister for Water Resources: (a) The ECC of the Cabinet vide decision No. ECC/53/6/2021 dated 19-02-2021 has approved revocation of NJS @ Rs. 0.10/kWh with immediate effect as conveyed vide Ministry of Energy (Power Division) office Memorandum PF No. 5/29-NJS/ 2020-21 dated 24-03-2021. 2 (b) Yes, over and above collection was made from consumers after achievement of COD of the project since rescindment of NJS was subject to ECC decision. (c) The ECC of the Cabinet on 12-12-2007 approved Rs. 0.10 surcharge per kWh on the consumption of electricity by every category of electricity consumer except lifeline domestic consumer and K-electric from 1st January, 2008. The then Ministry of Water and Power notified the same vide notification dated 04-01-2008. (d) NJS received by NJHPC from Discos upto April 2021 after 28-12-2018 (the date of taking over all units) amounts to Rs. 1.402 Million. (e) The matter relates to Ministry of Energy (Power Division). 17. *Ms. Shagufta Jumani: (Deferred during 31st Session) Will the Minister for Water Resources be pleased to state: (a) the amount, which has been collected under the heads of Supreme Court of Pakistan and the Prime Minister of Pakistan, for the Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand Dams Fund at present; (b) how does reconsolidate the amount, which is actually deposited in an account, which is managed by the Supreme Court of Pakistan; (c) whether it is a fact that different individuals/institutions or functionaries, collected such fund; if so, the details thereof; (d) whether the said fund is used to visit abroad or within the country; if so, the details thereof; and (e) time by which, utilization of such funds will be started? Minister for Water Resources: (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e) Supreme Court of Pakistan is the custofdian of Dam Fund. WAPDA has not yet taken any money from this fund, the information obtained from Supreme Court official website on 12-07-2021 is attached as Annex-A. 3 28. *Syed Hussain Tariq: (Deferred during 31st Session) Will the Minister for Water Resources be pleased to state: (a) the estimated cost of Diamer-Bhasha Dam; (b) the amount, which has already been spent by previous Governments on the dam; 4 (c) the amount which has been collected for the dam, under the head of donation so far; (d) the funds, which has been earmarked and released for the dam in the current fiscal year; (e) the increase made in the cost of dam due to depreciation of the value of rupee against dollar during the tenure of present Government; and (f) the details of plan of the incumbent Government with regard to construction of the dam? Minister for Water Resources: (a) The estimated cost of Diamer Basha Dam Project is as under: Rs. in Million PC-I (Acquisition of Land & Resettlement) 175,436 PC-I (Dam Part) 479,686 PC-I (Power Generation Facilities) yet to be approved 751,000 (b) The detail of amount spent by previous Governments on the Dam is as under: Rs. in Million Description AL&R Dam Part Previous Governments since 2009-10 86,685 — Present Government 30,273 51,555 Total 116,158 51,555 (c) Honorable Supreme Court of Pakistan is Custodian of Dam Fund and WAPDA has not taken any amount from this fund to-date. The information obtained from Supreme Court official website on 18-08-2020 is attached at Annex-I. The total amount up to 15-07-2021 is Rs. 12,934,008,868. (d) The detail of funds allocation for current financial year (2021-2022) is as under: 5 Rs in Million Dam Part = 15,500 Acquisition of Land & Resettlement AL&R = 7,000 Demand from WAPDA for release of funds awaited. (e) PC-I (Dam Part) was approved @1US$ = Rs. 105.3. However, cost will be updated during the revision of PC-I in accordance with the guidelines of Planning Commission’s Manaual for Development projects. (f) Plan for Construction: The Consultants for Main Works, M/s. DBCG have commenced their services w.e.f. 10-06-2020. The Contractor for Main Dam works, M/s. Power China- FWO (JV) have been mobilized at site after signing of Contract Agreement on 13-05-2020 with commencement date as 07-08-2020. 32,073 Acres (89%) of land has been acquired so far out of total required Land of 35,924 Acres. The Project is expected to be completed by April, 2029. Plan for Financing: Acquisition of Land & Resettlement is being financed by GoP. Rs. 106,897 Million has been released against PC-I (AL&R) amounting to Rs. 175,436 Million. Financing Plan of Dam Part is as under: Rs. in Million - GoP Share 233,686 - Commercial Financing 144,000 - WAPDA Equity 100,000 Financing Plan of Power Generation Facilities is as under: 6 Rs. in Million - WAPDA Equity 076,000 - Commercial Financing 429,000 - IDC 246,000 (shall be recovered through tariff) 7 30. *Moulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali: Will the Minister for Housing and Works be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that the Housing Foundation awarded contracts for Infrastructure and development of the land to the firms registered with Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC); (b) if so, the details of the works, names of the firms, alongwith registration with the PEC; and (c) the category of registration, field of specialization of the projects during the last ten years of Green Enclave Bhara Kahu etc.? Deferred for answer on Next Rota Day. 31. *Mr. Ahmad Hussain Deharr: Will the Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that the prices of drugs are controlled by Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP); (b) whether it has directed to sell medicines with their generic names; and (c) the time by which sale of medicines by their generic names will be started in the country? Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination: (a) Under section 12 of the Drugs Act, 1976 (XXXI of 1976), Federal Government is empowered to fix Maximum Retail Prices (MRP) of Drugs. Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan notified a Drug Pricing Policy-2018 with approval of Federal Government which provides a mechanism for regulation of MRPs of drugs. (b) Drugs are registered under Section-7 of Drug Act, 1976. Sub- Section 8 of Section-7 of aforesaid Act specifies that “All single ingredient drugs shall be registered generally by their generic names while compound drugs shall be registered generally by their propriety names.” 8 The Drugs (Labelling & Packing) Rules, 1986 also give provision of proprietary name stating that “3(b) if the registered name is a proprietary name, then immediately following the registered name, the generic name or other name, if any, approved by the Registration Board, for this purpose shall be printed within bracket with at least equal prominence as that of the brand name”. The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan has constituted a committee to comprehensively deliberate on matter to register the single ingredient drugs either with generic or brand name. The committee has forwarded its recommendations which were considered in 98th Meeting of DRAP Authority and decided inter alia that stakeholders shall be consulted for implementation of relevant provisions of Drug Act, 1976 to grant registration on generic basis for single ingredient drugs and to determine timelines for implementation. In this Pakistan Pharmaceuticals Manufacturers Association (PPMA), Pharma Bureau (PB) and Pakistan Chemist and Druggist Association (PCDA) was requested to furnish their comments for onward consideration of the DRAP Authority. The comments of the stakeholders have been received and are under process for consideration of Authority. Recommendations of Authority will be processed for amendment in the relevant rules by the Federal Government. (c) as stated in reply (B). 32. *Mr. Naveed Aamir Jeeva: Will the Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination be pleased to refer to the Starred Question No.58 replied on 6-1-2020 and to state: (a) whether the dengue patients are visiting Islamabad hospitals or it has been eliminated at present; and (b) whether the dengue preventive measures are being taken by the Government for next season? Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination: (a) A total of three patients have been reported in Islamabad during the year 2021 till to date. The Fouji Foundation 9 Hospital, IBN-E-SEENA a private lab, Holy family hospital reported these cases. (b) All necessary preventive measure are being taken by the Government since January 2021 till to date to prevent the outbreak in the ICT Islamabad, The following dengue preventive activities have been carried out in Islamabad since Jan.