ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet has approved three months’ basic salary to the employees of Prime Minister Office (PMO) as honorarium for their untiring work to dispose of cases.

On February 1, 2024, the ECC was apprised that Prime Minister’s Office sought permission of the chairperson ECC to table the summary as an additional item in view of the exigency in the matter. The chairperson ECC allowed submission of the summary before the ECC.

Prime Minister’s Office briefed the ECC that owing to the peculiar nature of duty performed beyond the call of normal working hours, the employees of the office had been granted honorarium in the previous years in recognition of timely disposal of cases/reports and assisting authorities in taking important policy decisions in various wings of PM Office.

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The working in the Prime Minister’s Office (Public Internal) was not only laborious and arduous in nature but also warranted devotion from the officers/ officials of the office. So, they had made extra efforts for the completion of the official tasks in the Current Financial Year in a befitting manner which deserved some kind of financial incentive/honorarium as an encouragement.

In terms of financial powers delegated by Finance Division to each Ministry /Division vide item-62 in the light of Financial Management & Powers of Principal Accounting Officer Regulations, 2021, the Principal Accounting Officer was competent to pay one-month basic pay as honorarium up to employees from BPS 01-18.

However, this case was to grant three month’s basic pay as honorarium to the employees in BS-01 to BS-22, therefore, the case for the grant of honorarium was to be forwarded to Chairman ECC for concurrence.

The forum was apprised that, the caretaker Prime Minister had approved three months Basic Pay as Honoraria to the employees of Prime Minister’s Office (Public) from BS-01 to BS-22 under Demand No.11 and Prime Minister’s Office (Internal) from BS-01 to BS-20 under Demand No.10 with a financial impact of Rs. 42,000,000/- and Rs. 38,629,000/- respectively.

After brief discussion the ECC approved the proposal that came from the Prime Minister Office aimed at encouraging employees for their devotion to their duties.