Three years on, no utility grant for lower secretariat staffers

By
Hussain
-
10
144

The staff at the Sindh government headquarters, Sindh Secretariat, is still awaiting approval of the long-awaited utility allowance, as the provincial chief executive is yet to sign the summary lying with him since 2008, Pakistan Today has learnt.
In 2008, then Sindh chief secretary Fazlur Rehman had sent the respective summary to the provincial Finance secretary for approval, but the Sindh Finance Department used delaying tactics due to political interference.
Well-placed sources told Pakistan Today that after months of alleged laziness by the finance department, the summary was sent to Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah; however, the lower secretariat staff, numbering in thousands, is still looking towards the Chief Minister’s House for Shah to sign the summary so that they could avail the facility as being enjoyed by the officers.
In the summary, it was recommended that payment of utility allowance, including electricity, telephone, gas bills and mobile maintenance, should be given to non-gazetted secretariat employees from Grade 1 to 17.
Up till 2002, the secretariat’s lower staffers were getting 20 percent utility allowance but then the government ceased it, depriving the staff of their fundamental rights; however, the officers are still enjoying all luxurious facilities despite their huge salaries.
The sources said that as the provincial government seems reluctant to speed up the process to provide utility allowance to secretariat employees, the bureaucracy is also not interested in the problems of the lower staff. “The chief minister is reportedly ready to sign the summary but the political situation in the country has not allowed him to do so,” they added.
The ruling party claims of providing benefits to the poor people, but the claims seem hollow as the officers of Grade 18 and above are getting Rs 44,000 as utility allowance, including Rs 4,000 for cell phone maintenance, but over 3,500 employees working in lower grades at the Sindh Secretariat are not paid a single paisa, the sources said.

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10 COMMENTS

  1. Dear Mr.
    I recieved a rumour from my some close friends that the summary is signed by Chief Minister today .

    • I have also received such rumours, so I am looking for confirmation whether it is actually signed by the Chief Minister or not?

  2. any body has authentication of this summary? if yes then kindly provide a source link to confirm this thing

  3. is there any allowance summary of utility allowance signed by the Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif

  5. this link is false because this news paper is pro-jamat-e-islami (munafiq) this news is totaly rumor

  6. This is social injustice that beaurucrates are enjoying these opportunities and lower staff have no right. This is equal to commiting a sin. Our leaders are asleeping, poor people are dying of hunger and these corrupt beauraucrates snatching their morsels out of their mouths. These poor people are crying. we need strong leadres who have strength to fight for these crushed people and who are always proactive in taking initiatives for their rights.

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