ISLAMABAD, June 20: Lawmakers sought reduction in the budget of Capital Development Authority, as the National Assembly approved demands for grants worth Rs590.669 billion for the Cabinet Division and associated departments on Friday.

The house rejected 194 cut motions presented by opposition members on 14 out of 19 demands with a majority vote, as there were no cut motion on five demands for grants. Minister for Finance Syed Naveed Qamar moved the motions while minister for parliamentary affairs Farooq H. Naek opposed the motions on behalf of the government.

Discussing the demands for grants on the cut motions, opposition member Marvi Memon said there was no room for huge allocation for luxury in present economic conditions and proposed to slash the budget of the CDA.

She said environmental and clean drinking water issues need immediate attention and proposed to make National Disaster Management Authority active across the country.

Riaz Fatiyana criticised CDA for failing to promote sports activities, set up bus terminals and proper sanitation system. He said no new colony was set up after 1987 to provide accommodation to the people that escalated real estate prices in the capital.

He said Federal Land Commission was no more viable as a number of cases were lying pending with it since long. The institution should be wound up and its budgetary allocation should be seized. He said due to NAB, Benazir Bhutto remained in exile for many years, Asif Zardari and Yousuf Raza Gilani were jailed on ‘fake’ cases. He said Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) has also lost its utility and recommended its winding up.

Iqbal Qadri said the CDA should upgrade its sanitation plan to save roads from dilapidation in rainy season. He demanded reduction in the budget of NAB.

Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat said the CDA should improve facilities in the capital hospitals. He said the prime minister had announced to abolish NAB, then why it has been allocated funds in the budget.

Dr Donia Aziz proposed to reduce the Rs2 billion allocation for relief and said it would exert extra burden on the economy. She criticised allocation of Rs2 billion to holiday homes set up in Ziarat, Karachi and Murree to facilitate top officials and bureaucrats.

Bushra Rehman said parliament should be informed that how much is being spent on protocol of the prime minister. She said filtration plants should be installed to ensure clean drinking water to the people.

Humayun Saifullah Khan called for notifying the Council of Common Interest, saying all the issues between the federation and provinces should be resolved through the CCI.