The Sindh Finance Department has yet to approve the summary for the restoration of 20 percent of the basic salary utility allowance to the non-gazetted employees of the Sindh Secretariat.
The summary has been lying pending with finance department since last over four months. It had recommended payment of utility allowance to the non-gazetted employees from grade 1 to 17 including electricity, telephone, gas bills and mobile maintenance allowance, sources told Business Recorder on Tuesday.
The sources further said that Sindh Chief Secretary Fazalur Rehman had sent the summary to the Finance Secretary for approval couple of months ago. But, the finance department was using delaying tactics due to political interference, they said.
"The officials of grade 18 and above are getting Rs 44,000 utility allowance monthly including Rs 4,000 for the cell phone maintenance, but the lower grade Sindh Secretariat employees are not paid even a single penny," they added. The officials said they were getting 20 percent utility allowance until year 2002, but the then government ceased it, depriving lower staff of their fundamental right, they said.
"The provincial government seem reluctant to speed up the process to provide utility allowance to secretariat employees and the bureaucracy was also not interested that the utility allowance be given to lower staff", they said. When this reporter approached the Finance Secretary to ascertain the facts, concerned staff informed that the Finance Secretary Dr Fazal Pechuho has gone to the United States on a private visit for a period of more than a month, therefore, no action could be taken in his absence.