The Prime Minister unveils initiatives for government reform

In a recent cabinet meeting held on Friday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that minimal financial protection could be provided to government officials. The prime minister also indicated the launch of a “reward program” for high-performing bureaucrats in ministries with the implementation of a 100% salary increase. The Prime Minister appreciated the role of the forward-looking secretaries who run the Departments for the depth of knowledge and professional caliber they possess for each field, noting that not all secretaries were equally competent. It stated that high performers would be rewarded appropriately, while low performers would be held accountable for their inefficiency. Sharif said that high performers will also be given incentives, as was done during his tenure as Chief Minister of Punjab in 2008, when he was given a 100% hike in the salaries of police and law enforcement officers. The prime minister urged civil servants to abandon the bureaucratic attitude and work to simplify procedures. He welcomed the role of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) in this regard, stating that it provided a strong mechanism to effectively address barriers to implementation and ease of doing business. The Prime Minister also observed that too much emphasis was placed on bureaucracy-based processes in ministries and that out-of-the-box problem solving was only marginal. Read SIFC measures yielding positive results: The Prime Minister emphasized the need to develop mechanisms that encourage creative thinking to achieve goals and new tools and strategies focused on results. Automation in all government departments was also emphasized. Focusing on governance, the Prime Minister outlined the government’s national agenda, highlighting the national priorities and vision for development to put Pakistan’s economy on a path of sustainable development interventions in strategic sectors such as information technology, energy, minerals , defense, export processing. trade, commerce and agriculture in the next five years. He emphasized that all ministries should set goals and objectives for “100-day”, “quarterly”, “yearly” and “five-year” timelines. He said guidelines have already been released to all ministries, providing broad parameters to guide them. He emphasized that each ministry is required to work towards achieving its set of objectives, prepare its strategies and identify and mobilize resources, including human resources, to effectively implement its action plan and achieve its objectives. He added that each ministry will be responsible for its performance and the achievement of its objectives, for which it will have authority, but only with responsibility and accountability. The Prime Minister stressed that the achievement of these goals is of key importance for the progress and development of the country. Sharif informed the cabinet that efforts are also being made on federal government spending and the committee has formulated recommendations to reduce federal government spending, headed by the chairman of the Planning Commission – who would present a practical spending plan to the cabinet. The prime minister also shared that efforts are being made to resolve the protracted pendency of tax collection cases, worth trillions of rupees, before courts and tribunals. He underlined the need to engage quality manpower for the tax courts, selected after trials from renowned educational institutions like Livisand NUST. He noted that very soon the country’s economy and finances were on track, stating that where there is a will there is a way. It was further informed that the interim overview report provides a brief financial update for the first half of the current financial year of fiscal performance, covering both revenue and expenditure. The report also highlights the actions taken by the government through internal and external means. It was added that during the period under review, the agriculture sector performed promisingly with promising prospects. Surcharges have remained a challenge for the government, which has kept a tight rein on other spending through the vigorous implementation of austerity measures approved by the federal cabinet. Funding was largely from domestic sources, highlighted by the first successful auction of Ijara Sukuk on the PSX. Published in The Express Tribune, April 6, 2024. Like Business on Facebook, follow @TribuneBiz on Twitter to stay updated and join the conversation.

a href=”https://tribune.com.pk/story/2461810/pm-unveils-initiatives-for-govt-reform”>Source link