March 9, 2002	Saturday	Zilhaj 24, 1422

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window).

LAHORE, March 8: The Punjab Government Servants Benevolent Fund is ‘saving’ millions of rupees every month by doling out meagre grants to the employees contributing to it.

In January 2002, the Fund received Rs77,796,295 compulsory deductions from the salaries of around 846,300 provincial government employees and released Rs46,006,407 in grants. This represents a saving of Rs31,789,888.

Two percent of the current basic pay of every government employees is compulsorily deducted from his salary under law. The Fund invests the savings in profitable schemes. It also owns the Al-Falah Building and Al-Falah cinema on The Mall and was one other sponsors of the LDA Plaza, the tallest building in the provincial metropolis. When contacted by Dawn, the officials concerned refused to disclose the volume of the BF investments and bank accounts.

The Fund’s savings and profits are swelling with the passage of time at the cost of the designated beneficiaries. It is so because deductions are compulsory and the benefits comprise meagre grants. A sizable number of employees contributing to it throughout the length of their service never benefit from it. There is no refund, whatsoever, to such employees at the time of retirement.

Established under the Punjab Government Servants Benevolent Fund Ordinance, 1960, to provide financial assistance to the serving and retired government employees and their families in distress, the Fund is presently managed by provincial, divisional and secretariat boards. District boards are now being constituted under the devolution plan.

Five types of grants are presently made from the BF. Widows of employees serving in Basic Scales 1 to 4 are paid a monthly subsistence allowance of Rs1,000. The allowance for BS 5 to 15 is Rs1,300, for BS 16 Rs1,600, for Bs 17 Rs1,800, for BS 18 Rs2,000, for BS 19 Rs2,300 and BS 20 and above Rs2,500 per month.

A Rs3,500 grant is payable at the time of wedding of every daughter of a government employee during his life. Till 1996, the grant had been Rs2,500. The grant payable for the marriage of an orpahaned daughter is Rs5,000. A grant of Rs2,000 is paid in the event of the death of a government employee or a family member.

Since 1991-92 the fund offers scholarships for the talented children of the employees studying in government institutions. A Rs1,000 scholarship is paid to students of intermediate colleges to cover tuition. A hostel allowance of Rs2,200 per month is paid to the boarders. The scholarship amount for those studying for a university degree is Rs2,000 for tuition and Rs3,200 per month for hostel expenses. Only students securing 60 per cent or more marks in the secondary school examination and 55 per cent or more marks in the higher classes are eligible for the award.

Last but not the least, since 1994, some government servants are being sent to perform Haj. The pilgrims are selected through a draw. This year the Fund bore the Haj expenses of 17 gazetted and 42 non-gazetted government servants.

Of 896,300 employees on the Punjab Government payrolls, 744,868 are in BS 1 to 15 and 8,8572 in BS 16 and above. The remaining 12,680 employees remain unclassified.