The government has constituted a 10-member committee to ensure implementation of austerity measures as it seeks expenditure cuts to reduce fiscal debt, it emerged on Friday.
The move comes as Pakistan has been demanding and committed to restart the IMF’s Extended Funds facility. Shortage fiscal deficit.
According to the notification of the Finance Department dated 7th July, a copy of which is available with don.comThe Finance Minister will be the chairman of the committee.
It will also include the Minister of Planning, the Minister of Communications, the Minister of Commerce, the Minister of Maritime Affairs and the Minister of State for Finance. Along with the additional finance secretary, secretaries from the ministries of finance, planning and industry will also be part of the committee.
The terms of reference of the Committee include reviewing it from time to time for the financial year 2022-23 and ensuring implementation of austerity measures and related matters.
The body will also invite proposals from principal accounts officers to cut expenditure, and approve proposals for relaxing the approved measures.
It will constitute a separate committee to review the need and utility of autonomous bodies, state-owned enterprises, corporations and authorities.
government last month announced Among several austerity measures in an effort to save electricity amid the acute shortage. The austerity plan was approved in the cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
One of the more significant measures was the announcement that foreign travel for officials would be sharply cut, while fuel quotas for government employees would be cut by 40 percent.
It was decided to ban the purchase of vehicles other than utility vehicles such as ambulances and school buses at the government level, and ban ‘unnecessary’ foreign travels, including foreign trips for medical treatment for government officials.
It was also decided that until the Energy Conservation Plan is approved by the Federal Cabinet, priority would be given to holding government meetings. The cabinet also decided to cut the consumption of utilities at the government level and in offices by 10 percent.
Meanwhile, the Finance Division also issued an office memorandum on July 7, stating that extraordinary measures need to be taken to ensure “fair use of public funds” besides reducing expenditure to reduce fiscal debt. Is. the wanted.
The notification reiterates the prohibition on purchase of all types of vehicles at the expense of the government and treatment abroad. It also banned creation of new posts and appointment of daily wage earners except those required for development projects.
The ban also applies to purchases of office furniture, machinery and equipment, and unnecessary official foreign visits by government officials.
Principal Accounts Officers have also been asked to reduce consumption of utilities by 10 per cent and reduce avoidable travel by promoting online meetings.
The memorandum said that the federal government has also decided to cut petrol usage of ministers’ vehicles by 40 percent and cabinet members’ security vehicles by 50 percent.