A meeting of the Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue was convened at Parliament House today, presided over by Senator Saleem Mandviwala. The committee received information regarding the government’s decision to incorporate radio fees in addition to television charges into electricity bills.
New Radio Fee Inclusion in Consumer Bills
During the meeting, officials from the Finance Ministry apprised the committee members of the recent development. They revealed that consumers would now find a flat fee of Rs. 50 included in their electricity bills. This measure would be effective immediately. Furthermore, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had prepared a summary, advocating for the imposition of Rs. 35 for PTV and Rs. 15 for radio fees, beginning in July.
The Finance Ministry officials informed the committee that these decisions were expedited based on the recent recommendations put forth by the Senate Committee of Finance and Revenue.
During the meeting, the apex committee was also briefed about the allocation of funds for subsidized food items at Utility Stores. An impressive sum of Rs. 35 billion has been set aside for this purpose. Notably, out of this allocation, Rs. 5 billion will be dedicated to the Prime Minister’s Ramazan Relief Package.
Boosting the IT Sector
In addition to discussing fees and subsidies, the Ministry of Finance officials also presented the latest incentives aimed at fostering growth in the IT sector. An allocation of Rs. 10 billion has been made for the PM’s laptop scheme, demonstrating the government’s commitment to promoting technological advancement. Furthermore, tech companies have been granted the authority to retain 25 percent of their export earnings.
