Although Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad had directed that extra medical allowance to university staff was to be made in special cases, the administrations of public-sector universities are disbursing millions of rupees under the head of medical allowance, it has been learnt. This disbursement is taking place despite the governor’s directives and is adversely affecting the administration of universities.
Secretariat of Governor Sindh, Governor’s House issued a letter No GS/11-6/2011(SO-)207 dated March 4, 2011 to all the vice chancellors informing them about the decision of the committee regarding medical and other allowances.
“IN consideration of the recommendation of the committee headed by Dr S M Qureshi appointed by Governor Sindh/Chancellor as per decision of the meeting of the vice chancellors and directors of universities and degree awarding institutes of Sindh chaired by him on February 14, 2011, he has been pleased to direct all the vice chancellors to take following action with immediate effect.
“Medical Allowance: An amount of Rs 500 per month be allowed in addition to the already announced medical allowances of Rs 500 per month by the Government for Grade-1 to Grade-16 employees as a very special case and the extra budgetary expense be met from their own resources of the universities”, according to a letter, issued by Secretariat of Governor Sindh, made available to Pakistan Today.
Interestingly, even though the staff from grade-1 to grade-16 at educational institutions being headed by the governor is already getting the ordained Rs 495 to Rs 500 monthly as medical allowance, but in most cases, the university staff is being provided with extra benefits, according to sources.
For instance, the Quaid-e-Azam University of Engineering, Science and Technology, Nawabshah issued a notification No QUEST/Estt/NH/342 that the medical allowance of staff of BPS-1 to BPS-16 has been revised/enhanced at 15pc of basic bay (minimum Rs 3000 per month), sources told Pakistan Today.
The Sindh University Jamshoro also was paying a medical allowance to the employees working in BPS-16 and above at Rs 2000 in disregard of the government’s earlier orders. Due to non-observation of government instructions, the university is sustaining a loss of Rs 19,395,000 per annum.
As per Government of Sindh, Finance Department office memorandum No FD(SR-I)-32/05 dated 14th July, medical allowance should be admissible at 425 to officials working in BPS-1 to 16.
But flaunting of government directives at public sector universities is nothing new. In 2007-2008, the Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur disbursed at least Rs 2.424 million as medical allowance to various gazetted officers even though the said allowance was only admissible to non-gazetted employees as per the revised pay scale 2001.
In the same year, the university administration also disbursed an additional Rs 1.97 million as medical allowance. The amount was paid to the same gazetted officers while the senior authorities remained silent as to why these officials were being provided with such a hefty allowance, sources added.
Moreover, the sources opined that the governor, who is the chancellor of public sector universities, must take notice of such situations where the university’s board and syndicate were taking decisions only in their own favour. They also stressed that many public sector universities were not following government directives and it was necessary to ensure uniformity in the running of universities.
