ISLAMABAD: Amid the prevailing political unrest, the federal cabinet moved to pacify the general public on Monday, deciding to lift a ban on government jobs, disburse Rs25,000 to each family affected by floods before Eidul Azha and provide temporary relief to power consumers over-billed last month.

After a meeting of the cabinet, Information Minister Pervez Rashid said at a news conference that the PML-N had banned recruitment against federal jobs because previously government jobs were doled out on political basis and the present government wanted to open employment opportunities on the basis of merit irrespective of political affiliations.

He said the prime minister had decided that all government departments would be free to fill vacant posts independently and a cabinet committee would see to it that the recruitments were made on merit after providing an equal and fair opportunity to all candidates.

The PML-N had followed the same principle in Punjab for induction of educators and policemen and even its worst enemies now camping outside the parliament could not pick an issue with these recruitments, the minister claimed.


All families who lost their houses, livestock or crops during floods will get Rs25,000 each before Eid


FLOOD COMPENSATION: He said a survey for assessment of damage caused by floods to houses, cattle and crops was in progress and the prime minister had ordered completion at the earliest.

He said the cabinet decided to disburse first instalment of Rs25,000 to each family before Eidul Azha. The amount would be equally shared by the federal and provincial governments.

OVER-BILLING: Mr Rashid said the cabinet discussed the over-billing complaints and considered a preliminary report submitted by the prime minister’s special assistant, Dr Mussadik Malik.

He said the cabinet decided to verify the complaints and appoint three reputable audit firms to independently investigate the matter.

He said the prime minister had directed the water and power secretary to appoint three auditors in three days to separately investigate the record of 22 million power electricity consumers for the past one year and submit a report in three weeks.

The cabinet decided to provide relief to consumers who used up to 200 units last month in case their consumption of the same month last year was lower. They would be given adjustment in bills according to consumption of last year. If the bills had already been paid, these would be adjusted next month. The number of such consumers is more than 67 per cent of the total.

Likewise, consumers with more than 200 units, if billed for more than 5pc additional units in July, as compared to same month of last year, will pay for only 5pc additional units at the current tariff.

In both cases, if the additional consumption is verified on physical inspection of meters, the amount would be adjusted in three equal instalments.

The Minister of State for Water and Power, Abid Sher Ali, said the prime minister expressed resentment, anger and disappointment over over-billing. He conceded that in many cases the consumers were billed for 32-33 days instead of normal 30 days due to Eidul Fitr holidays. Electricity theft by the powerful was not possible without involvement of electricity staff, he added.

He said the involvement of lower level officials, like meter readers, in mismanagement was evident. The prime minister ordered an investigation into the matter from top to bottom and hold accountable all involved, he said.

He said the cabinet noted that electricity thieves were being granted bail and directed law departments to pursue the cases in courts.

He said only three thieves had been punished by courts and more than Rs52bn was outstanding against them.

Dr Mussadik Malik admitted having received evidence of over-billing, but said three other factors also contributed to higher billing and public unrest.

He said it had to be accepted that the electricity tariff had increased substantially over the past one year and simultaneously the government had withdrawn the benefit of all slabs.

Moreover, Mr Malik added, the government generated 5-6pc more electricity and brought down loadshedding this year, resulting in a proportionate increase in consumption. “People consumed more electricity and moved to the higher slab.”

He said the staff over-billed the poor in some areas to offset electricity theft by the rich to hide their own involvement.

Mr Malik said he had completed this exercise in seven days and used data pertaining to all distribution companies to reach these cautious findings which obviously had limitations.

Hence it required a complete examination of entire data of all companies over the past one year by independent auditors to conclusively hold how much over-billing was done, in what manner, to whom and how to compensate the affected people.

He said the entire power sector required structural reforms to overcome problems in the long run to generate electricity at cheap rates. He said a programme had been finalised to be implemented within three months in three distribution companies to improve technological meter reading which would be extended all the companies within six months.

He said the government was also considering outsourcing meter reading and billing and at the same time looking into possibilities of installing pre-paid meters.

Mr Pervez Rashid said the cabinet had decided to introduce an ordinance to ensure a minimum wage of Rs12,000 per month.

Published in Dawn, September 23rd, 2014

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