Day: February 23, 2022

The Federal government has notified the 15% disparity reduction allowance to civil employees in BPS 1-19 of the federal government, which is applicable from 1 March 2022.

As per the Office Memorandum of Finance division that the federal government has approved disparity reduction allowance at the rate of 15 percent of the Basic Pay scales 2017 with effect from March 2022.

According to the notification, this allowance shall be admissible to civil employees in Basic Pay Scale (BPS) 1-19 of the Federal Government, including employees of the Federal Secretariat, attached departments, and subordinate offices.

The notification also mentioned several other conditions. The employees drawing additional allowance equal to or more than 100 percent of their basic pay, whether frozen or not, will not be provided with the 15 percent allowance.

Further, the newly granted allowance will be frozen at the level drawn on 1 March 2022, and it will be subject to income tax. The allowance will also be granted to the employees on leave and the entire period of LPR except during extraordinary leave.

The Finance Division further stated that this allowance will not be treated as part of emoluments for the purpose of calculation of pension or gratuity and recovery of house rent. In addition, the allowance will not be admissible to the employees during the tenure of their deputation in foreign countries. However, the employees will be granted the allowance on their repatriation at the rate and amount, which would have been admissible to them, had they not been posted abroad. The allowance is also applicable to the employees during the period of suspension.

The notification clarified that the term “Basic Pay” will also include the amount of Personal Pay granted on account of annual increment beyond the maximum of the existing pay scales.

Source: Pro Pakistani

The Committee was briefed by the OGRA Chairman that establishment of Pabbi Sub-Area and Customer Service Center (CSC), Jehangira; that the proposal in this regard has been submitted by SNGPL to OGRA in review petition against the decision of estimated revenue requirement (PERA) for the fiscal year 2021-22; and that the decision is pending while Standing Committee approved the minutes of the previous meeting and also approved the previous recommendations of the Committee along-with few changes recommended by the Committee and details thereon will be described in the detailed report of the meeting.

Moreover, Standing Committee unanimously approved the Scrutiny of the budgetary proposal of the Ministry relating to the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP).

Two (Govt Bills) were taken up by the Committee in the meeting and decided that the “the Petroleum (Amendment) Bill, 2021” may be passed by the National Assembly whereon Law Ministry has provided few technical legislative drafting related corrections to be incorporated as well. Whereon, the “The Pakistan Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Authority Bill, 2022” (Govt Bill) may be deferred for further deliberation thereupon.

The Committee while taking the briefing from one Managing Director namely; Imran Munir from (SSGC) Official decided that his reply is not as per the rules and due to such defiance from his duty his matter may be referred to the Privileged Committee.

Source: Pro Pakistani

The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has hinted at rising petroleum products prices from March 1 linking it to the depreciation of Pakistani currency and unprecedented hike in international crude oil prices.

While briefing the NA Standing Committee on Energy (Petroleum Division) Chairman Ogra Masroor Khan said that the situation is in front of you as there is no precedent for rising oil prices in the international market which had occurred during the past 12 weeks. The meeting was chaired by Imran Khattak.

OGRA chairman said the rupee has also depreciated sharply against the dollar. He said that the government is receiving Rs. 14 petroleum levy per liter while GST is zero. The money coming into the treasury is being compromised, he added. The Chairman of the committee asked how the situation in Russia and Ukraine will impact the prices of PoL products in the country? Chairman Ogra responded that from the current situation, you can guess the answer. As prices go up, the burden will fall on the people, chairman Ogra added.

Khurrum Dastagir asked if there was any fear of rising diesel prices? Chairman OGRA Masroor Khan replied that the Oil Companies Advisory Committee (OCAC) and other stakeholders have expressed their concern in this regard. Masroor Khan further informed that the formula of oil prices determination has not changed and they are still following the old formula.

Briefing the committee on Pak Stream Gas Pipeline, Secretary Petroleum Ali Raza Bhutta informed that talks with Russia on the gas pipeline project were completed. He said that Russia will also invest and lay the pipeline. He said that groundwork on the project will be started soon. Secretary petroleum further informed that PLL has purchased another expensive LNG cargo for March. The cargo was purchased at a rate of $25.12 per MMBtu.

Source: Pro Pakistani