ISLAMABAD:The Minority Development Committee (MDC) on Friday approved a total of 21 development schemes proposed by minority members of the Parliament.
Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Pir Noorul Haq Qadri presided over MDC’s meeting held at the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony.
The committee also approved Rs 53 million for maintenance and upkeep of places of minority’s worship and abandoned properties and small welfare schemes.
Minority Welfare Fund was being utilised in renovating deteriorated buildings of minority’s worship places.
At the same time non-Muslim women and students would be provided, sewing machines and laptops.While their worship places would given generators,chairs, sound system.
The minister said the government was considering to enhance minority’s development budget, adding, the budget of non-Muslim MPs would be doubled.
He said complete record of the cost of development schemes executed in last 15 years would be computerised, along with the names of MPs who proposed the projects.
Secretary Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Sardar Ijaz Khan Jaffar said that a joint team of the ministry and Pak PWD has a complete pictorial record of the commencement and completion of development work.
The ministry used to pay remaining 10 percent of the cost of the project to the contractor on completion of project after bring satisfied with the quality of the project.
Head of Ministry’s Interfaith Harmony Wing, Arshad Farid Khan, besides Chairman Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), Chief Planning Division, Financial Advisor, Finance Division and representatives of Pak PWD were also present.