ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to use 23 billion rupees saved through austerity measures to provide subsidies for motorcycle and rickshaw owners. The subsidy will be distributed based on data from the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) and will target eligible individuals
According to Express, a private news channel, the Secretary of Petroleum confirmed to the Senate Standing Committee on Petroleum that the savings would be provided as a subsidy to motorcycle and rickshaw owners. The initiative follows a similar model to the COVID-19 subsidy program.
The Secretary explained that public welfare would receive the benefits from savings that resulted from the austerity policy implementation. The committee members wanted to know from which source the government would obtain 23 billion rupees because they wanted the money to benefit the public instead of businesses. Officials explained that the savings occurred because various cost-cutting measures became operational under the Prime Minister’s guidance.
The Secretary reported to the briefing that the country possesses petroleum reserves which will enable crude oil to be used for 11 days, diesel for 21 days, petrol for 27 days, LPG for 9 days and JP-1 for 14 days.
A total of Rs10 billion to be deducted from salaries of 0.5 million employees
Earlier, the Federal Government and state-owned institutions are set to accumulate an estimated Rs10 billion through a proposed deduction plan affecting more than 500,000 employees.
The move, which spans from Scale 1 to Grade 22, will see basic salaries reduced by a minimum of 5 per cent and a maximum of 30 percent, depending on the length of service and current pay scales.
Detailed estimates reveal a wide range of deductions across the grading structure. For Grade 1 employees, the minimum 5 per cent cut starts at Rs407, while the maximum 30 per cent deduction can reach Rs7,935. This trend continues through the lower cadres: Grade 2 employees face a range of Rs415 to Rs8,556, Grade 3 from Rs428 to Rs9,678, and Grade 4 from Rs441 to Rs10,707. For those in Grade 5, the deduction fluctuates between Rs 457 and Rs 11,949.
As the grades increase, so does the financial impact. Grade 10 employees will see a minimum deduction of Rs542 and a maximum of Rs17,745. In the mid-management tiers, Grade 15 officials face a minimum of Rs723 and a maximum of Rs27,930, while Grade 16 deductions go up to Rs32,181.
The most significant cuts are reserved for senior officers in the higher brackets. Grade 17 employees face a maximum deduction of Rs34,041, while Grade 18 and Grade 19 officers could see their salaries reduced by up to Rs42,624 and Rs52,497, respectively. At the top of the hierarchy, Grade 20 and 21 officials face maximum deductions of Rs59,745 and Rs66,267. For Grade 22, the highest tier, the deduction starts at a minimum of Rs3,666 and peaks at a maximum of Rs73,575.
