Rs85.175m set for monitoring TVs

ISLAMABAD: Up-gradation of monitoring system up to 250 television channels and media development and implementation of the Code of Conduct are part of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s schemes for the next financial year.

Against the estimated cost of Rs196.728 million for the up-gradation of TV monitoring system, Rs85.175 million have been proposed for the next fiscal under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP). Rs15 million has been proposed for the media development and implementation of the Code of Conduct while the estimated cost is Rs30 million. Both these are un-approved schemes.

Out of 12 un-approved schemes, five are un-approved ones while as many as 19 are on-going schemes with an estimated cost of Rs1722.93 million and the proposed allocation for the year 2018-19 is Rs566.169 million.

As per the Supplementary Demands for Grants and Appropriations, 2017-18, Rs1,013,814,000 for outstanding advertisement dues payment of electronic and print media against the federal government, Rs85,756,000 advertisement campaign for Prime Minister’s Health Programme and Rs21,297,000 expenditure of 70 years of Independence Day celebrations under the head of Press Information Department.

For unavoidable pending liabilities of Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (Rs500,000,000), Asia Peace Film Festival, 2017, (Rs25,652,000), 70 years’ celebrations of Independence Day (Rs14,919,000), payment to Syeda Tabassum Akhter Rizvi, widow of late Aun Muhammad Rizvi, ex-controller as grant from the federal government (Rs5,000,000) and token grant Rs1,000. Whereas under PID’s demand No. 058, original grant for 2017-18 was Rs619,343,000, while Rs1,120,868,000 supplementary grant and hence total grant stood at Rs1,740,211,000.