The Prime Minister’s Office requested Rs75 million, or 16% more funding, for allowances, petrol, and food in contravention of its own national austerity strategy, setting a bad example for other departments.
According to a report The Express Tribune the additional money was requested by the internal division of the PM Office with the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s approval.
The report claimed that the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet has already quietly sanctioned Rs18.5 million supplementary grant out of the Rs75 million demanded by the PM Office.
It should be noted that under the National Austerity Policy announced by Prime Minister Shehbaz in the presence of his allies, the PM’s internal wing budget had to be slashed by 15% or Rs70 million.
The National Parliament had approved a budget of Rs.993 million for the PM Office for the current fiscal year. The PM’s internal office received Rs. 465 million, and the PM’s public wing received Rs. 528 million.
The specifics revealed that the PM Office requested Rs75 million increase to the internal wing’s budget, bringing the total to Rs540 million and representing a 16.1% rise.
