Ring out the old : EDO defies austerity policy
Austerity measures announced by Punjab govt stopped purchase of new vehicles, renovating offices among other things.
LAHORE:
The recently- posted executive district office (Health) is renovating his office in violation of the austerity measures announced by the Punjab government, The Express Tribune has learnt.
Baloch assumed the charge last month after the suspension of Dr Fayyaz Ranjha.
Sources in the health wing of the City District Government Lahore (CDGL) said that Baloch had ordered Abdul Samad Bagri, its store keeper, before Eid holidays to renovate the furniture of his office. Officials said that furniture worth Rs800,000 had been purchased.
The former EDO, Dr Ranjha, had changed the furniture of his office, conference room and other rooms of the EDO office last year. The officials said that Dr Ranjha had even changed the tiles of his office and renovated his office bathroom.
Imran, Dr Baloch’s assistant, while talking to The Express Tribune confirmed that renovation of Baloch’s office started on Monday. He said that the tiles were being replaced and the office being repainted. “The renovation, including that of the bathroom will take three to four days,” said Imran. The assistant said that the old furniture had been shifted from Baloch’s office to a room located on the ground floor. He confirmed that new furniture will be purchased as well by Bagri, who was overseeing the redecoration.
When contacted, Bagri told the Tribune that renovation was in progress but did not confirm any new purchases. “Because of the austerity policy that is in place, we cannot purchase new things,” Bagri said. He refused to say where the money for the renovation of Baloch’s office was coming from.
The Punjab government issued a notification of austerity measures last year. Through the notification all the provincial departments were stopped from purchasing new vehicles, hiring staff on daily wages and renovating offices among other things.
The notification further stated that if any department had to purchase some items, it had to send a summary for the required items to the provincial austerity committee.
The committee after looking at the proposal would decide whether or not to allow the department to make the purchase.
Officials said that Baloch disliked the colour of the old tiles, paint and furniture and had thus ordered the refurbishment.
They said that Baloch might have purchased the items from the funds available under another budgetary allocation. The officials said that there was a possibility that someone might have given the furniture to Baloch as a gift.
Baloch said that the funds were coming out of his own pocket.
However, he said that he was only getting new furniture and no tiles were being replaced. He rejected the speculation about being ‘gifted’ the furniture.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 23rd, 2010.
The recently- posted executive district office (Health) is renovating his office in violation of the austerity measures announced by the Punjab government, The Express Tribune has learnt.
Baloch assumed the charge last month after the suspension of Dr Fayyaz Ranjha.
Sources in the health wing of the City District Government Lahore (CDGL) said that Baloch had ordered Abdul Samad Bagri, its store keeper, before Eid holidays to renovate the furniture of his office. Officials said that furniture worth Rs800,000 had been purchased.
The former EDO, Dr Ranjha, had changed the furniture of his office, conference room and other rooms of the EDO office last year. The officials said that Dr Ranjha had even changed the tiles of his office and renovated his office bathroom.
Imran, Dr Baloch’s assistant, while talking to The Express Tribune confirmed that renovation of Baloch’s office started on Monday. He said that the tiles were being replaced and the office being repainted. “The renovation, including that of the bathroom will take three to four days,” said Imran. The assistant said that the old furniture had been shifted from Baloch’s office to a room located on the ground floor. He confirmed that new furniture will be purchased as well by Bagri, who was overseeing the redecoration.
When contacted, Bagri told the Tribune that renovation was in progress but did not confirm any new purchases. “Because of the austerity policy that is in place, we cannot purchase new things,” Bagri said. He refused to say where the money for the renovation of Baloch’s office was coming from.
The Punjab government issued a notification of austerity measures last year. Through the notification all the provincial departments were stopped from purchasing new vehicles, hiring staff on daily wages and renovating offices among other things.
The notification further stated that if any department had to purchase some items, it had to send a summary for the required items to the provincial austerity committee.
The committee after looking at the proposal would decide whether or not to allow the department to make the purchase.
Officials said that Baloch disliked the colour of the old tiles, paint and furniture and had thus ordered the refurbishment.
They said that Baloch might have purchased the items from the funds available under another budgetary allocation. The officials said that there was a possibility that someone might have given the furniture to Baloch as a gift.
Baloch said that the funds were coming out of his own pocket.
However, he said that he was only getting new furniture and no tiles were being replaced. He rejected the speculation about being ‘gifted’ the furniture.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 23rd, 2010.