Salim Ahmed
Lahore
Provincial Minister for Finance Makhdum Hashim Jawan Bakht has said that the provincial departments need to look at their finances through a new lens. Every department needs to carry out a comprehensive review of its financial health. Different workshops and training seminars will be conducted for the finance related capacity building of all departments for the said purpose.
He expressed these views while chairing the Austerity committee’s second meeting session at new Ministers block. The Minister said that we have to cut down our expenses and lessen the burden on our economy.
Every avenue and option for expense curtailment and resource generation should be explored including review of state owned land and its possible usage. Secretary Finance Sheikh Hamid Yaqoob also briefed the meeting that Prime Minister of Pakistan has initiated an austerity drive to reduce the unnecessary expenditure out of public money in order to get the best value of public money. In this connection the Prime Minister has taken lead and imposed the restrictions on discretionary grants, luxury vehicles, protocol and unnecessary staff. In the same Manners Government of the Punjab shall adopt an Austerity Policy in order to reduce the current and development side.
He told the members that finance department earlier issued Austerity Measures for the FY 2018-19 after getting approval from care taker government. According to these measure all the administrative departments, including Autonomous bodies, Attached departments, Local Governments, Authorities, Public sector companies and special institutes shall remain within budgetary allocation to minimize the incidence of supplementary grants. Further the request for supplementary grants. Further the request for supplementary grants, if unavoidable, shall require approval of Provincial cabinet or Standing committee on finance & development. There shall be a complete ban on the foreign visits of Ministers, MPAs and government officers/officials through government funding .The case for foreign visits shall be placed in the Austerity committee for its consideration and subsequent approval of the Chief Minister through submission of Summary.
There shall be a complete ban on treatment abroad on government expense. New vehicles wouldn’t be bought except buses for educational institutes, ambulances etc. may be purchased after taking approval from CM Punjab. No discretionary funds will be granted for the renovation of official residences. Approval will be sought from Austerity committee before buying durable goods. Strict compliance of aforesaid austerity measures shall be ensured by all concerned .At this point committee member expressed their confidence in the Austerity measures and also contributed towards the suggestions for the upcoming challenges.
from Daily Pakistan Observer – https://ift.tt/2xIirRB
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