Punjab forms downsizing body amid cash crunch

Amid a severe economic and financial crisis, the Punjab government has decided to downsize government departments and has constituted a five-member committee for the purpose.

Under the downsizing plan, surplus employees of all departments falling within the scope of the exercise will be declared surplus and relieved, while their posts will be permanently abolished.

To implement the decision, a high-powered committee has been formed under the chairmanship of the Additional Chief Secretary.

The committee will review all 44 provincial departments and their subsidiary institutions.

Any department or subordinate body deemed unnecessary or a burden on the government will be abolished, while abolished entities will be merged into other departments.

A formal notification for the constitution of the committee has been issued. According to the notification, the Secretary of Industries and Commerce and the Additional Secretary Finance have been nominated as members, while another additional secretary and one representative will be nominated for the committee.

The committee has been granted wide-ranging powers, including declaring surplus employees redundant and abolishing vacant posts across departments.