LAHORE Senior Advisor to Chief Minister Punjab, Sirdar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa has said departments and institutions should not spend more expenditures as allocated in their budget, and departments should restrict themselves for any unnecessary expenditure. He expressed these views, while presiding over the meeting of Provincial Austerity Committee here on Wednesday. Khosa said encouraging and positive results were pouring in from austerity and simplicity drive of the Punjab government during current year and the drive would continue. The government has ensured fiscal discipline at every level so that maximum resources could be made available for public welfare oriented projects, he added. He also said departments should follow the fiscal discipline and they should spend their expenditures according to their budgeted resources. He vowed that departments would not be allowed for unnecessary expenditures, but in emergency, departments may come to the Austerity Committee and departments should also justify their demands of new purchase in the committee. He directed the authorities concerned not to approve such schemes or programmes during current fiscal year for which funds have not been allocated. He also directed that the Secretaries concerned and District Coordination Officers of the districts should make ensure their attendance in the meeting of Provincial Austerity Committee. MPAs Abdul Rehman Rana, Khawaja Salman Rafique, Asif Saeed Manhais, administrative secretaries of Finance, Housing and Irrigation departments, DCOs of various districts and other concerned officers attended the meeting.