CM Ch Parvez Elahi bans procurement of new vehicles for govt departments

LAHORE (92 News) - Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi has issued strict instructions to implement the austerity policy while making major decisions to reduce government expenditures in the province.

Chairing a meeting at his office on Tuesday, he imposed a ban on the procurement of new vehicles for government departments. He further announced a 50 percent reduction in the non-development expenses of all government departments, including the CMO.

The chief minister instructed all departments to ensure strict implementation of the austerity policy. He also ordered to provide him with a complete record of state lands in Punjab within seven days. "A comprehensive policy will be prepared to auction the government lands transparently," he declared.

Parvez Elahi directed adopting out-of-box measures to increase provincial resources and stressed that line departments should uniquely introduce new measures to increase revenue. He instructed to achieve targets set for increasing the resources and made it clear that it is the responsibility of the line departments to ensure achieving targets within the stipulated period.

They should burn the midnight oil while adopting concrete measures to increase the resources. "This would help to provide more facilities to the citizens," he noted.

The development program and financial affairs in the province were also reviewed in detail.