Grade-17 officer costs govt Rs245m: report

ISLAMABAD:

A report of the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE), “Life time Cost of Public Servants,” has calculated that the government would spend Rs245 million on a grade-17 officer hired in 2023 over the next 30 years.

The corresponding cost for a grade-1 officer is Rs27 million.

According to the breakdown of government spending on a grade-17 or gazette officer, the report states that salary and pension amounts to 49 million.

When other benefits are added, it rises to Rs136 million. When operating expenses are also added, the number balloons to Rs245 million. This is for a period of 30 years.

The corresponding figure for those who join the service at the lowest cadre, grade-1, is Rs8 million in salary and pension. It rises to Rs17 million with the addition of benefits.

Operating expenses sees the cost rise to Rs27 million. The report also raises questions about redundancies in public organisations as well as the practice of nepotism that results in politicians and those in positions of power hiring people without merit.

It noted that politicians provide employment opportunities to individuals particularly within their own party or patronage network to cultivate a base of supporters who are more likely to vote for them in elections.