Punjab Assembly (PA) Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan announced that the PA Secretariat had successfully saved Rs 770 million as part of the austerity initiative implemented in accordance with the directives from Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.
A press release issued here confirmed that this amount has been deposited into the national treasury.
The savings were achieved following a thorough examination of expenditures and the execution of various cost-reduction strategies throughout the assembly secretariat.
Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan previously declared his intention not to receive a salary or use any official benefits or privileges.
In line with a policy promoting simplicity in official protocols, there was an emphasis on the use of personal vehicles.
As part of the austerity measures, salary deductions were applied to Members of the Punjab Assembly, while officials in Grade-20 and above contributed two days’ salary to the campaign.
Fuel prices cut by half for official vehicles
Fuel costs for official vehicles were cut by 50 percent, leading to considerable savings.
The austerity initiative also resulted in a major decrease in electricity usage, with over 111,000 electricity units conserved in just two months, demonstrating the effectiveness of these measures.
A complete prohibition on unnecessary purchases was enforced, and no new procurements were made.
Official foreign trips were suspended, and spending on official events and entertainment was drastically reduced.
Meetings of Standing Committees were conducted via teleconferencing to further lower operational expenses.
These actions have yielded impressive outcomes, with the Punjab Assembly Secretariat’s savings of Rs 770 million serving as a compelling illustration of financial discipline, effective resource management, and a commitment to supporting the government’s austerity agenda.
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