ISLAMABAD, Dec 6: The government has banned supplementary grants to the ministries and divisions till December 20.

Informed sources told Dawn on Thursday that the finance secretary has directed the financial advisers of the ministries and divisions to suspend issuing supplementary grants.

The growing expenditure on law and order and on the forthcoming elections were said to be the major reasons for stopping the grants.

The sources said that since the funding position of the government continued to be weak, the ban imposed last month was likely to stay beyond Dec 20.

They said that due to inadequate releases, the ministries and divisions were seeking supplementary grants which had been disallowed by the finance division.

Most of the ministries, especially Foreign Office and Planning Division, have no funds to meet the medical expenses of their employees.

Those affected include retired officials who are entitled to free medical treatment in government hospitals. But they were being denied the facility, the sources said.