‘CM secretariat’s spending cut by 76%’

Chohan says number of vehicles used by CM office reduced to 110 from 173

LAHORE:

Punjab Government’s spokesperson and Minister for Prisons Fayyazul Hassan Chohan has highlighted that the Chief Minister Secretariat expenditures have been reduced up to 76% during the tenure of Sardar Usman Buzdar.

On the direction of the chief minister, his office has made expenditure details public under several heads. During the previous regime of 2012-18, Chohan disclosed, as many as 173 vehicles were being used in the chief minister’s office which had been reduced to 110 during the current regime.

On account of maintenance of these vehicles Rs42 million were spent in 2017-18 while in 2020-21 these expenditures have been reduced to Rs15 million. Fuel consumption has also dropped from 372,000 litres to 228,000 litres during the same period.

Read Punjab CM office statement shows 40% cut in expenditure

He highlighted that despite the increase in fuel price, the petroleum expenditure of the chief minister office has been reduced to Rs27 million which were Rs35 million in 2017-18. Similarly, non-salary expenditures have been cut from Rs240 million to Rs140 million. On account of entertainment and gifts, expenditure of Buzdar’s office has dropped from Rs90 million to Rs44 million, the discretionary fund from Rs96 million to Rs23 million.

Chohan said comparative analysis of both years shows that up to 76% decrease has been recorded in chief minister’s office expenditure, including 64% decrease in vehicle maintenance, 39% decrease in fuel cost, 36% decline in vehicles' use and entertainment expenditures cut by 50%.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 23^rd, 2021.