Populist measures: Cabinet eases recruitment in govt departments

Flood victims to get financial aid; scheme for adjustment of inflated electricity bills planned.

ISLAMABAD:

Faced with scathing criticism  from opposition as well as allied parties for ignoring public issues, the government on Monday made four populist decisions – the most important one being lifting of a ban on recruitment in government departments.

The decision was taken by the federal cabinet which met on Monday with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the chair. The cabinet also decided to take steps for implementation of minimum wage; to provide financial assistance to flood victims; and to introduce a scheme for adjustment of inflated electricity bills.

Briefing the media on the cabinet decision, Information Minister Senator Parvaiz Rashid said that the government had slapped a ban on recruitments because in the past hiring was made in government departments in violation of merit. “In order to make the recruitment process transparent and merit-based, the prime minister has formed a cabinet committee to oversee the entire process,” he added.

Rashid claimed that the government would do away with the ‘Sifarish culture’ and recruitments in government departments would be made on merit irrespective of political affiliations. “We have successfully done this in Punjab where hundreds of thousands of educators and police personnel have been appointed on merit,” he claimed.

Talking about the victims of recent flood, the minister said that the government would give Rs25,000 per family before Eidul Azha and both federal and provincial governments would share 50% cost of this cash grant.  “This principle was followed during the 2010 floods and there was not a single complaint of any family being missed,” he added.

Senator Rashid said the government would also compensate the affected people for the losses of crops and assist in reconstruction of partially or fully damaged houses as well as loss of cattle. “A damage assessment survey is already under way on the instructions of the prime minister.”

Speaking about labour rights, the minister said the government had fixed the minimum monthly wage at Rs12,000 in this year’s budget. However, he admitted there were complaints that the government has not done much for its implementation. “It was in this backdrop that the government decided to give a legal cover, through legislation, to minimum wage in order to make sure that workers are paid the minimum wage,” he said.

On the issue of inflated electricity bills, the minister referred to the last cabinet meeting in which the prime minister had ordered an inquiry into the matter. “A report has been submitted after the inquiry and a mechanism for adjustment of last month’s inflated bills has been approved,” he added.

According to the adjustment plan, the excess amount charged from consumers using up to 200 units – who received more bills as compared to same month’s bill last year – would be adjusted in the next bill. Overbilling to consumers using over 200 units would also be adjusted after verification if there is 5% increase in their bills for the month as compared to same month’s bill last year.

Also talking to media persons, Minister of State for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali said that the prime minister has ordered an audit by three reputable companies into the over-billing issue so that culprits were identified. The audit report would be submitted to the cabinet in three weeks, he added.

“The overbilling issue could not crop up  without the involvement of department officials. However, the issue was created during the tenure of the previous government,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 23^rd, 2014.