ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to create around 100 new positions in the power, petroleum and water resources divisions, including a few top-level technical advisers and executive directors general, to strengthen technical expertise in these areas.

A senior official told Dawn that the government had been lacking technical expertise in some of these critical areas because of a long gap in fresh inductions and had been relying on the people hired from public and private sector entities on a deputation basis.

Because of criticism over conflict of interest of some of these officers, the government had in recent months faced some recent legal challenges and the ministries had to repatriate many of their officials to their parent organisations.

The power and petroleum divisions suffered the most in the process as they had to surrender dozens of officers hired from various companies and corporations — in some cases 10 years ago. On the other hand, the water resources ministry is reported to have remained short of qualified staff since its bifurcation from the erstwhile water and power ministry and is required to be strengthened.

Move part of reform process to improve efficiency, output of government

The official said these divisions, with the approval of the government, had decided to rehire as technical advisers and executive directors general some of the officers who had attained a lot of experience and knowledge during their long postings in these ministries. Some of them would have to give up their existing jobs to take attractive remuneration packages on a contract basis, while others would have to take up new positions on attaining the age of superannuation.

For this to achieve, the age limit has been kept flexible between 45 and 63 years and the contract will initially be for two years, extendable on the basis of recommendations of the Performance Evaluation Committee.

An officer said that at least four to five officers recently surrendered by the power and petroleum division would be brought back as technical advisers and executive directors general.

Officials in the finance ministry confirmed that about 75 new positions had already been created for the water resources ministry for which budget allocations had also been made in the budget for 2020-21. Of them, a technical adviser is being hired on Management Position Scale-1 (MP-1), besides a grade-21 position (executive director), two directors general in grade-20. Twenty-seven of these would include officers.

The official said the 75 new positions in the water resources ministry had been created by relaxing the ban imposed by the finance ministry on new recruitments. However, the approval of the prime minister would be required after the selection of officers. An MP-1 position holder generally gets a monthly salary of about Rs700,000, besides other fringe benefits.

The move is part of the government’s reform process under which it will induct technical advisers in about 15 technical/economic ministries to improve efficiency and output of the government.

The technical advisers, executive directors general, directors general and directors will be paid as per market conditions in the private sector for a fixed term. Some of them may be practically placed above or equal to the federal secretaries as the case may be and below the ministers in terms of policy advice and expert opinion.

Besides the MP scales, some of them will be given special professional pay scales. The idea is that a number of cases and proposals come before the government from various quarters, including through the federal secretaries, but get stuck and pass through the process without the quality input based on best market practices as the secretary may not necessarily be an expert in the field.

At the same time, ministers are seldom experts of the relevant field as they come through the political process. Therefore, the technical adviser will process proposals floated by the secretary or the line ministry to guide the minister and ultimately help the cabinet reach informed decisions.

Some of the ministries targeted for strengthening include science and technology, finance, power, petroleum, water resources, commerce, aviation, national food security, industries and production, information technology and telecommunication, climate change, maritime affairs, textile industry and national health services.

Published in Dawn, May 28th, 2020