Friday, June 9, 2017

Cash-strapped AJK plans to buy new luxurious vehicles for ministers, bureaucrats

Facing a revenue shortfall of around 7 billion in the current fiscal year, the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government is reportedly contemplating buying over three dozen new luxurious vehicles for cabinet members and senior bureaucrats, notwithstanding growing criticism of “reckless extravagance” with the exchequer of the cash-strapped region in this regard.
According to well placed sources, the preliminary process has been initiated by the concerned authorities for purchase of as many as 16 reconditioned 4200cc Parado jeeps worth Rs 10 million each and 23 brand new 1800cc Toyota Corolla Grande cars worth Rs 2.5 million each.
A 4700cc Land Cruiser Jeep worth Rs 25 million is also being separately purchased for Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider, sources added.
Approval to purchase of new vehicles for ministers was given by the cabinet on April 18 after the ex-agenda item was tabled by none other than the prime minister.
However, as yet it’s not clear as to where the funds will be arranged from for the “unwarranted shopping” as the Finance Department is already struggling hard to seek additional funds from Islamabad to reduce revenue shortfall that sources say has made it difficult for the government to pay salaries and pensions before Eid.
The decision to buy new vehicles comes amid an overlong wait for a comprehensive transport policy dealing with purchase, allotment and use of official vehicles.
Misuse of vehicles a chronic issue
According to conservative estimates, there are more than 6000 official vehicles in the 13297 sq. km AJK territory, which has scanty fiscal resources of its own and (thus) banks mostly on grants from the Centre to meet most of its needs. 
Due to the alleged prodigality of successive governments, the “accumulative shortfall” since 2009-10 has soared to about Rs 25 billion and as a result payment of salaries and pensions turns out be a thorn in the side of the government every month, particularly after it exceeds its overdraft limit of Rs 4.5 billion and the State Bank stops clearance of its cheques.
Under the existing transport policy of 1993, cabinet members are entitled to two official vehicles, while the secretaries, including the chief secretary, are entitled to one official vehicle.
However, hardly a few secretaries follow this rule, while the majority brazenly possesses two to three additional vehicles.
Similar is the case with senior police officers, almost all of whom are in possession of two to three extra vehicles.
Official vehicles are being occupied even by those officials who do not qualify for their allotment.
The logbooks of such vehicles are maintained fictitiously, sources say, adding, wear and tear of official vehicles is another big source of embezzlement of millions of rupees every year in the absence of an effective monitoring system.
PML-N government’s claim
Since the alleged unjustified purchase of official vehicles and their unauthorized allotment and unchecked use had drawn scathing criticism from media and civil society in PPP rule, the PML-N government had vowed to address this issue on a priority basis.
At a cabinet meeting in October last year, it had decided to replace the existing transport policy with a new one.
However, ever since assuming office, the PML-N government has not enforced even any cosmetic measure as a precursor to a stringent policy about the allotment and utilization of official vehicles, lamented the sources.
A source told this scribe that after the cabinet decision, secretaries were asked to furnish details about the vehicles in their respective departments within one week. But none of them complied and none was made accountable for the lapse.   
“It appears the announcement regarding transport policy was just an eye-wash because neither the cabinet members nor the bureaucrats want enforcement of a tough policy that can eventually deprive them of the boon of retaining additional vehicles,” remarked one official on condition of anonymity.  
In December 2011, the then PPP government had constituted a 4-member committee, led by the then additional chief secretary general Aizaz Nasim, to collect details about official transport and indicate the officers using official vehicles beyond entitlement. The committee was also tasked to submit proposals for implementation of (existing) transport policy to control misuse of official vehicles. 
The report, a copy of which is available with this scribe, points out abuse of vehicles in detail and suggests 35 measures to arrest the unlawful practices in this regard.
However, the PPP government sat over the report over the next five years. 
“That report was enough to pull the plug on misuse of official vehicles. But, when it comes to arresting misuse of official vehicles, it seems that Raja Farooq Haider government is not different than Chaudhry Abdul Majeed led previous PPP government,” commented the official.
“When the public representatives, including the prime minister, are not ready to surrender extra vehicles, you should not expect the bureaucracy to withdraw unwarranted privileges,” he added.
When contacted by this scribe, Finance Minister Dr Najeeb Naqi dispelled the impression that the PML-N government was following the previous PPP regime regarding misuse of official vehicles.
“It were we who reclaimed many official vehicles from Zardari House after assuming office,” he said, but didn’t provide the number.
He claimed that a cabinet sub-committee tasked to revisit transport policy would present its recommendations in next cabinet meeting.
When asked if the committee will suggest some toughest measures to control the unlawful trend of misusing official vehicles, he said since he was not its member he could not say anything about it with certainty.
“We will ensure that the criteria for allotment and use of official vehicles is strictly followed,” he said.
Tariq Naqash 

No comments:

Post a Comment