April 14, 2008	Monday	Rabi-us-Sani 7, 1429

LAHORE, April 13: All unnecessary upgradation of key posts and the office of special secretaries of provincial departments are likely to be abolished by the new government.

The government has already abolished the post of the principal secretary to the chief minister.

Official sources informed Dawn on Sunday that the services wing of the provincial government was carrying out an exercise to find out all unnecessary upgradations which would soon be abolished “to reduce the salary bill increased voluminously during the previous government”.

They said the wing was also considering abolition of the posts of special secretaries because these were illegal and had greatly affected the working of additional secretaries.

The rules of business provided only for the posts of secretaries, additional secretaries and deputy secretaries. The posts of special secretaries were created without any lawful authority, not only disturbing the chain of command but also unnecessarily enhancing the provincial government’s salary bill.

They said the previous government had also upgraded many posts of directors to director-generals which would also be abolished. But, they added, the upgraded post of the Anti-Corruption Establishment’s director-general would not be abolished because the government intended to further strengthen it to arrest graft.

Officials said the government had changed 41 TMOs in Punjab a few days ago to ensure judicious and honest spending of huge development budget given to them. To the contrary, it was stated to be an attempt to grab control of tehsils and towns being headed by the PML-Q nazims in majority instances, through bureaucratic channel.

Meanwhile, officials in the provincial setup have said the posts vacated after sacking of the re-employed officers and officials would be filled through promotions or by those next in seniority.

All the sacked officials and officers were re-employed without following the rules and the new government would re-employ only the ‘indispensable’ civil servants through the re-employment board and not on directions by anyone, they said.

They said re-employment would be based on principles according to which one could be re-employed after retirement if the department concerned did not have any official of the same ability, and with no one having the same experience available on the government’s pay list.

Retired officials also would be re-employed provided the government was unable to find anyone of the same calibre from the open market or anyone having the required ability was not available to assume the charge.

Officials said the government would not fire those recruited on a contract provided their appointment was made according to the rules by any government. The policy of new contractual or regular recruitments, they said, would be made by the ministers of all departments.

But necessary regular appointments would be made either through the public service commissions or through the recruitment boards concerned.