FinMin says 150,000 vacancies eliminated, consolidation of 42 ministries to be completed by end of June

• 60% of vacant regular posts abolished, says finance minister.
• The Aurangzeb Oath Committee will reduce 80 institutions to 40.
• He says they are trying to cut government spending by $900 billion. Rs.

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Tuesday pledged to streamline 42 ministries and their 400 attached departments by June 30 of the current fiscal year to reduce expenditure and improve government efficiency.

Speaking during the press conference sharing the six-month performance of the High Power Rights Committee, the finance minister said, “We have decided to bring five or six departments under rights in each phase.”

Aurangzeb was accompanied by National Parliamentary Task Force on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Convener Bilal Azhar Kayani and Ambassador at Large Dr Salman Ahmad, who heads the Implementation Committee.

The minister said 60% of the 150,000 vacant regular posts — not on the payroll — have been scrapped or declared moribund, creating a real economic impact.

“Everything is done after proper approval from the federal cabinet,” Aurangzeb said, adding that the commission would halve 80 institutions.

The committee, he said, had also decided to outsource general non-essential services including cleaning, plumbing and gardening to bring efficiency, adding that the number of emergency posts would also be reduced.

Talking about the economy, FinMin Aurangzeb said that the first six months of the financial year focused on macroeconomic stability and now the focus is on sustainable growth.

The minister recalled that efforts had been made in the past to reduce the size of the federal government, adding that they were trying to reduce federal government spending by 900 billion rupees.

“The goal of authorization is not only to reduce costs, but also to improve performance,” the minister emphasized.

He said it has also been decided that the finance ministry will have a live view of the cash balances of all government agencies. “It cannot happen that on the one hand we borrow and other government agencies have idle cash available.”

However, he added, it is not about people, but about improving efficiency, adding that it applies to all ministries.

He said, under Wave-1, six ministries including Kashmir Affair and Gilgit Baltistan, SAFRON. Information Technology and Telecommunications. Industries and Production? Regulations and Coordination of National Health Services. The Capital Development Authority (CAD) was processed.

Aurangzeb said the committee decided to merge the Ministries of Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, and States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON), while the CAD was abolished.