Hand over the keys: K-P government to take back official vehicles

Ministers, secretaries and other officials to be given allowances instead

PESHAWAR:

In a bid to cut expenses and recover “squandered millions”, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa administration has decided not to purchase any more vehicles for government officials. Also, billions of rupees worth of vehicles currently in the possession of officials and various departments will be taken back and auctioned off.

Officials of the K-P administration and finance departments confirmed that authorities were giving final shape to the plan under which no more vehicles will be purchased for any official, including bureaucrats, ministers and even the chief minister.

Allowances

Instead, a specified allowance will be given to all officers, ministers and parliamentary secretaries who are entitled to government vehicles. The officials will have the choice to either buy and maintain a vehicle with the allowance or find other means of transport.



Officials of the administration department said a committee with K-P Minister of Finance Muzaffar Said as its focal person will hold a meeting in this regard on Wednesday next week.

“Each officer will be given an allowance in addition to his salary and he or she may use their personal vehicle for official trips and visits,” said an insider familiar with the matter, requesting anonymity.

Not to leave officials high and dry, each department will have three to four vehicles at its disposal for routine activity. However, the committee will decide the exact number. The rest will be auctioned off.

Clearly marked

Government-owned vehicles will be especially painted and be clearly identifiable. “The aim is ensure that government vehicles are easily distinguishable in bazaars and markets so nobody can use them for personal work,” the official said.

Moreover, Secretary Finance Syed Badshah Bukhari said the system was running perfectly in many countries and had even been adopted by the federal government.

“The system was analysed and studied before taking this decision,” he said.

Minister for Information Mustaq Ghani said the plan was in the pipeline and government houses and vehicles will be taken from officials and they will be given specific payments in return. “The government is spending millions on the repairs and fuel consumption of these vehicles,” he said. “After the implementation of this plan, expenditures can be controlled,” said the minister. Highlighting the benefits, the minister said officers will get an additional allowance and the burden on the government exchequer will be decreased.

“The government buys vehicles worth millions and they get damaged within three to four years,” Ghani said. “Then new vehicles have to be bought and nobody cares about the old ones.”

Quick resale

According to K-P Excise and Taxation department figures, 13,572 vehicles owned by the K-P government have been registered with the department. Just recently, authorities purchased dozens of vehicles for ministers, secretaries, parliamentary secretaries and the police.

However, with this new plan already in its implementation stages, the government has to resell all the newly-purchased vehicles. According to official documents available with The Express Tribune, the administration department spent Rs95.7 million on vehicles up till March, while the finance department spent over Rs11.1 million.

Said, who is heading this cost-saving plan, could not be contacted for comments despite repeated attempts.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 18^th, 2015.