Pointing out unauthorised creation of the posts of additional secretaries in various ministries by the Establishment Division (ED), the auditor general of Pakistan (AGP) has said that ED was not carrying out its mandate efficiently, specifically vis-à-vis regulating human resource management in the federal government.
The audit report 2010-11 on the accounts of Establishment Division points out a number of irregularities, including the unauthorised creation of the posts in violation of the cabinet committee’s decision. “Para III of Cabinet Committee decision in case No 125/8/197 dated February 2, 1997, about ‘Revamping of Federal Secretariat’, approved the recommendation of a National Commission for retention of tiers in the Federal Secretariat subject to the condition that the provision of the posts of Additional Secretaries should be related to the five posts of Joint Secretaries in a Division.
Audit noted that the Establishment Division, in violation of Cabinet Committee decision, created posts of Additional Secretaries in ministries of Port and Shipping, Textile, Culture, Environment, Communication, Commerce etc without five positions of Joint Secretaries in these Ministries/Divisions,” says the report. Audit noted that the non-compliance of the decision of Cabinet Committee had resulted in unauthorised creation of the posts, with an extra burden on the exchequer.
Audit authorities have also pointed out that the ED has failed to frame a criterion for the posts of additional secretary and senior joint secretary and rules/policy of nomination/induction. “Incumbents against posts of Additional Secretary and Senior Joint Secretary in Federal Government were drawing salary and perks and privileges of BS 21. Audit noted, while the post of Additional Secretary is in BS 21, the Senior Joint Secretary actually works against a post of BS 20.
However, there is no defined criterion for the posting of Additional Secretary (BS 21) and/or Senior Joint Secretary (BS 21) in Ministries/Divisions,” the report says. Citing another inefficiency of the ED, the federal audit authorities have pointed out that the ED did not frame and notify any criteria for nomination of officers to Staff College/National Institute of Management (NIM) and proportion of each occupational group in each course. The audit report says that these observations indicated that the ED was not carrying out its mandate efficiently, which might demotivate federal government employees, leading to work inefficiencies.
In another audit objection, officials pointed out overpayment of foreign DA to officers on account of hotel charges amounting to Rs 5.25 million. “Audit noted, during the review of record of National Management College (NMC), Lahore, for the financial year 2009-10, that the participants of 91st and 92nd National Management Course and faculty of Category I, II and III received payment against claims of DA on account of foreign visit.
However, the record did not include any hotel bill/receipt presented with claims for payment. This was in violation of Finance Division OMF 1 (10) R.10/2006-745, dated December, 30, 2006,” the report says.