ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel on Tuesday approved a bill to enhance contribution by federal government’s employees to their Benevolent Fund and advised the government to make it part of the budget for the fiscal year 2010-2011.
The National Assembly Standing Committee on the Cabinet Division passed unanimously the “Federal Employees Benevolent Fund and Group Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2010” at a meeting here.
Through the amendment the government has enhanced the contribution to the Fund by each employee from current Rs 155 and Rs 200, an official told the meeting.
The meeting, chaired by MNA Dewan Ashiq Hussain Bokhari, called for a transparent use of the Fund and urged the government to make sure that the money collected is utilised for the welfare of government employees.
Attendees at the meeting also included Cabinet Secretary Abdul Rauf Chaudhry, Establishment Division Secretary Ismail Qureshi and Vice Chairman of Cabinet Secretariat Ghiasuddin Ahmed.
Qureshi told the meeting that the Fund provides collective welfare and insurance coverage to federal government employees.
He said the Cabinet Secretariat is facing a shortage of Rs4.3 billion due to a limited contribution by employees. He added that every employee is required to contribute towards the Benevolent Fund either 2 per cent of the salary or a maximum of Rs 155.
Through this contribution, Qureshi added, the total collection is Rs.4.3 billion, short of what is required to cater to needs of all employees.
Qureshi said the government was hopeful that with this increase, the Fund would have enough resources to meet the needs of all government employees in the future.
Published in the Express Tribune, June 2nd, 2010.
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