ISLAMABAD - National Assembly Standing Committee on Railways Friday recommended the government to allocate Rs 35 billion for Pakistan Railways under Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) for upcoming fiscal year 2013-14 and the pension budget of Pakistan Railways should be taken over by the government like the pension budget of Armed Forces.
The legislative body meeting was held under the chairmanship of Sardar Ayaz Saddiq in the parliament house to discuss the budgetary proposals relating to PSDP of Ministry of Railways for the next financial year 2013-14. MNAs Mr Islam Sheikh, Begum Nasim Chaudhry, Mr Ramesh Lal, Pir Muhammad Aslam Bodla, Dr Muhammad Ayub Sheikh, Rana Tanveer Hussain and Mr Salahuddin attended the meeting.
Keeping in view the growing shortfall of funds during the last three years @ 60 per cent, 41 per cent and 39 per cent in the financial year 2010-11,2011-12, 2012-13 respectively, the committee recommended that amount of Rs26billion proposed to be provided to Pakistan Railways be increased to Rs35billion.
In order to reduce "Throw-forward" budget as on 1st July 2013, Pakistan Railways needs to be provided Rs150billion during next three years for in-expensive and timely completion of projects.
The committee also asked the government to take over the outstanding loan of 40 billion provided to Pakistan Railways through over draft by the State Bank of Pakistan. The pension budget of Pakistan Railways should be taken over by the government like the pension budget of Armed Forces and other government departments.
The legislative body also asked the government that all imports made by Pakistan Railways such as locomotives tracks, wagons, rails and other machinery/equipment, etc be declared free of custom duty, being a public service department. Similarly, the committee recommended the government to give exemption over any products manufactured by Pakistan Railways such as slippers, locomotives, coaches, etc. should also be free of sales tax as these are not sold out.