Islamabad, the 20th February, 2015:    20th meeting of the Standing Committee on Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage was held today at 10:00 a.m. in Committee Room No. 7, Parliament House, Islamabad under the Chairpersonship of Ms. Marvi Memon, MNA.

The Ministry of Information, Broadcasting & National Heritage presented the progress /review on the projects completed and to be completed through budgetary proposals relating to the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) for the financial year 2014-15.

The Ministry further informed that an amount of Rs. 919.823 million is required for the completion of ongoing 43 PSDP projects and an additional amount of Rs. 587.935 million has been proposed for the allocation in the PSDP for the financial year 2015-16 for 16 new projects of the Ministry and its allied Organizations.

The Committee directed that all other allied Organizations / Departments be given funds for improving their productivity and the proposals of those departments may include in the budgetary proposals of the PSDP for the financial year, 2015-16. The Committee further directed the Ministry to formulate another budgetary PSDP proposal for creating Inter Provincial Harmony and to counter terrorism narrative against terrorist activities.

The Committee also directed that Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA) may arrange cultural shows for the people of FATA and Balochistan and Pakistan Television Corporation (PTVC) may initiate proposal for launching Pashto channel. Pakistan Academy of Letters may arrange literary festivals and seminars in the country for creating the soft image of Pakistan. 

Mian Muhammad Farooq, Mr. Muhammad Tallal Chaudry, Ms. Parveen Masood Bhatti, Ms. Arifa Khalid Parvez, Ms. Marriyum Aurangzeb, Ms. Belum Hasnain and Ms. Naeema Kishwer Kha, MNAs attended the meeting.  The meeting was also attended by senior officers of the Ministry and its attached Departments.