ISLAMABAD - At the time when country’s economy is facing challenges and common man is suffering due to high inflation, the Executive Board of the National Highway Authority (NHA) on Sunday recommended several financial incentives for its employees.
However, a final decision on these incentives would be made by the National Highway Council, a supreme decision making body, chaired by the Federal Minister of Communications, while several key ministries have their representation in it as well.
The incentives recommended by NHA executive board for approval include 100 percent increase in headquarters allowance, 25 percent increase in eid/christmas/holi allowance while the board has also recommended to increase utility allowance from 10 percent to 30 percent as well.
NHA is an autonomous body working under the Ministry of Communications and mandated to plan, develop and maintain the national highways and motorways across the country having thousands of employees. The decision on such incentives needs thorough deliberations as it involves a financial impact of billions of rupees.
According to the sources, a meeting of the NHA executive board was held under the chair of Khurrum Agha, Chairman NHA, in which a summary purposing aforementioned incentives was presented by the administration wing of the authority.
Background discussions revealed that the incumbent Federal Minister Maulana Asad Mahmood was also on board on this summary as he wished to do something for the employees of NHA but across the board.
Summary purposed 100 percent increase in headquarter allowance, which is approved for recommendation. It is pertinent to mention here that the said allowance is given to NHA employees according to their grades.
The maximum allowance given at present is 50,000 per month for officers in Grade-19 and above, which would be doubled if approved.
Since 2017, NHA employees were getting 10-15 percent of their basic pay as a utility allowance. The summary has purposed to increase it up to 40 percent but the board after deliberations decided to recommend an increase up to 30 percent.
The NHA employees were also getting eid/christmas/holi allowance, which was 50 percent of their basic pay. It was purposed in the summery to increase up to one additional basic pay but the board recommended 75 percent of the basic pay for approval.
Meanwhile, another summary was also approved by the board which if succeeded will have far-reaching impacts for NHA employees, in which it is recommended to have two percent quota for the allotment in residence owned by the federal government.
Though, apparently there are very limited chances to get approval in this regard but NHA high ups are hopeful on the pretext that both the Ministry of Communications and Ministry of Housing and Works are controlled by the same party.
They believe that if their minister will take up the matter with housing ministry then there are chances to get the benefit for the road authority.
However, a final decision on these incentives would be made by the National Highway Council, a supreme decision making body, chaired by the Federal Minister of Communications, while several key ministries have their representation in it as well.
The incentives recommended by NHA executive board for approval include 100 percent increase in headquarters allowance, 25 percent increase in eid/christmas/holi allowance while the board has also recommended to increase utility allowance from 10 percent to 30 percent as well.
NHA is an autonomous body working under the Ministry of Communications and mandated to plan, develop and maintain the national highways and motorways across the country having thousands of employees. The decision on such incentives needs thorough deliberations as it involves a financial impact of billions of rupees.
According to the sources, a meeting of the NHA executive board was held under the chair of Khurrum Agha, Chairman NHA, in which a summary purposing aforementioned incentives was presented by the administration wing of the authority.
Background discussions revealed that the incumbent Federal Minister Maulana Asad Mahmood was also on board on this summary as he wished to do something for the employees of NHA but across the board.
Summary purposed 100 percent increase in headquarter allowance, which is approved for recommendation. It is pertinent to mention here that the said allowance is given to NHA employees according to their grades.
The maximum allowance given at present is 50,000 per month for officers in Grade-19 and above, which would be doubled if approved.
Since 2017, NHA employees were getting 10-15 percent of their basic pay as a utility allowance. The summary has purposed to increase it up to 40 percent but the board after deliberations decided to recommend an increase up to 30 percent.
The NHA employees were also getting eid/christmas/holi allowance, which was 50 percent of their basic pay. It was purposed in the summery to increase up to one additional basic pay but the board recommended 75 percent of the basic pay for approval.
Meanwhile, another summary was also approved by the board which if succeeded will have far-reaching impacts for NHA employees, in which it is recommended to have two percent quota for the allotment in residence owned by the federal government.
Though, apparently there are very limited chances to get approval in this regard but NHA high ups are hopeful on the pretext that both the Ministry of Communications and Ministry of Housing and Works are controlled by the same party.
They believe that if their minister will take up the matter with housing ministry then there are chances to get the benefit for the road authority.
