Rs26.5 billion Ehsaas supplementary budget approved
ECC decides to offer Rs12,000 per family to 4 million households on one-time basis
ISLAMABAD:
The government has decided to give one-time cash assistance of Rs12,000 per family to additional 4 million households and approved a supplementary budget of Rs26.5 billion for this purpose.
Headed by Minister for Finance Shaukat Tarin, the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet on Wednesday allowed expanding the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) to 8 million families under the second phase of the Ehsaas emergency programme.
The total cost of additional one-time assistance for the 4 million families is Rs48 billion. However, the BISP could not spend Rs22 billion against its current year’s allocation, which will now be diverted to the second phase of the Ehsaas emergency programme, said the finance ministry.
Seed body laments hindrances in procurement
Fears it could trigger shortage of certified wheat seeds for future sowing seasons
LAHORE:
The Seed Association of Pakistan (SAP) has said that unlawful hindrances created by Punjab Food Department in procuring certified wheat seeds could possibly trigger a shortage for future sowing seasons.
“This crisis will have an adverse impact on production of wheat, which is a strategically important crop of Pakistan,” SAP said in a statement on Thursday. According to it, officials from the Punjab Food Department and district governments were not only restricting seed companies from procurement of certified wheat seed but also confiscating their shipments.
CropLife responds to seed certificate cancellations
Business
April 23, 2021
KARACHI: CropLife Pakistan Association on Thursday clarified that none of its member companies have been identified for cancellation of registration by the Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department.
The clarification was made in response to the registration suspension of 204 companies in Punjab and Sindh by the Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department of the Ministry of National Food Security and Research.
CropLife Executive Director Rashid Ahmed said, “Names on the list being associated with our member companies are of defunct legal entities, no longer used to carry out business in the country.”
Monsanto among 204 seed companies to lose licences in Pakistan
Business
April 18, 2021
LAHORE: Pakistan is about to cancel registration of 204 seed companies including multinationals for noncompliance with the local laws, it was learnt on Saturday.
In compliance of section 22 (B) (8) of Seed Amendment Act, 2015 and Rule (5) of seed (Business Regulation) Rules, 2016, a total of 204 seed companies have been identified for cancellation of registration, according to a notification issued by the Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department (FSC&RD).
The under-question companies include multinationals like Pioneer, Syngenta, and Monsanto while most of them are located in the province of Punjab. This is the second such move in recent months in which registration of seed companies have been cancelled on various counts. Earlier in January, the federal government cancelled licenses of more than 200 seed companies for noncomplying with the laws under a revised regulatory framew