KARACHI-Sindh government has decided to adopt austerity measures to cut expenses, a notification issued on Saturday said.
As per the notification petrol quota would be slashed by 40% for all provincial government departments and official dinner, lunch and high-tea parties will be cut down to minimal.
The austerity plan, implemented after the approval of the Sindh cabinet, reducing unnecessary expenditure is imperative to ensure rational use of public money.
Financial constraints being faced by the country and province of Sindh made it imperative to conserve resources. The notification said the government of Sindh has introduced extraordinary measures for ensuring rational use of public money besides curtailing expenditure to reduce fiscal deficit.
Austerity measures will be implemented with immediate effect. Except for development projects, there shall be complete ban on creation of new posts, appointment of daily wages staff and purchase of office furniture. Cabinet has put a ban on official visits abroad by government functionaries on Sindh government funding, except obligatory visits, official lunches, dinners, hi-tea except for foreign delegations, however, only tea may be provided during official meetings with light refreshment.
Principal Accounting Officers shall ensure that consumption of utilities is reduced by 10%, implementation of reduction of 40% POL ceilings in light of Finance Department’s circular letter issued dated 03-06-2022 and avoidable travel be curtailed by promoting use of zoom and video links. The officers will also ensure abolition of posts lying vacant since last three years in consultation with administrative departments.
According to WHO, 84 districts of the country have been affected by floods. Over 2,000 health facilities have been damaged in flooding, World Health Organization’s (WHO) Pakistan representative had said.
Around 33 million people have been affected in unprecedented flooding in Pakistan. 1.7 million houses have been damaged by the flood and the construction of all the damaged houses would cost Rs 160 billion, of them the World Bank has pledged Rs 110 billion, and the remaining amount is being arranged by the provincial government from the federal government and through sources and donors.