ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly speaker has set a target of saving Rs1 billion annually in the budget of the National Assembly by right-sizing and restructuring of its Secretariat and elimination of 220 non-essential posts in grade 1 to 19.
The National Assembly Finance Committee approved policy initiatives in its meeting held with National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq in the chair at the Parliament House on Thursday.
The process of right-sizing and reforms would be completed in three phases which is on-going.
The speaker has spearheaded the administrative reforms and abolished 220 non-essential posts in grade 1 to 19, which would save the national exchequer more than 563 million rupees annually.
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Furthermore, saving Rs1 billion annually has been envisioned by the Speaker, two of the three phases of administrative reforms have been implemented successfully. The Finance Committee also has stopped further recruitment in the National Assembly Secretariat unless decided otherwise, while a sub-committee has also been formed to review the National Assembly Secretariat Employees Act, 2018, to make it more compatible with Civil Servants Act, 1973.
In the first phase, 90 non-essential posts of various grades in the National Assembly were abolished which saved Rs255.84 million annually. In the second phase, eliminating 130 non-essential posts from BPS 1 to 19 has resulted in saving more than 30.75 million rupees. Implementing both phases has resulted in an annual saving of more than rupees 56 crores, while additional savings of rupees 40 crore will be achieved in the third phase.
The Finance Committee will propose amendments to National Assembly Employees Act, 2018, with the purpose to determine the strength of staff according to the needs of the National Assembly Secretariat and to improve the system of promotions and appointments.
Decisions approved in Finance Committee meeting include: implementation of the austerity plan, rationalising needs and requirements of the National Assembly Secretariat, improvement in the procedure of determination, elimination, appointments and promotions, ensuring transparency and accountability.
The meeting was also informed that a “ticketing and lodging committee” consisting of representatives of all relevant departments of the National Assembly Secretariat has been formed, which will bring more transparency in the execution of the work, and the work of the officers and staff will be clearly outlined. It will help in evaluating their performance, and overall resources will also be saved.
The meeting also apprised of the process of digitisation of the National Assembly Secretariat so that the paperless and modern technologies may be introduced at the workplace. The meeting also apprised about the work started by team of Punjab Information Technology Board in this regard.
Moreover, Speaker Sadiq has also directed to ensure timely construction of additional blocks of Parliament Lodges. Solarisation of the Parliament Building has saved millions of rupees annually to national exchequer. The initiative of the Speaker of the National Assembly to transfer the Parliament to solar energy is saving crores of rupees to the national exchequer on an annual basis.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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