Cabinet approves govt’s austerity plans
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KATHMANDU, SEP 17 - As part of the government’s plan to minimise unnecessary expenditure and control the misuse of government resources, the Cabinet on Friday approved the 102-point “Directive for austerity measures in government expenditure-2011.”
The 13-page directive is aimed at curbing unnecessary expenditure mainly in government agencies. The code came after widespread complaints that ministers and government officials are using government resources for personal benefit.
The code has strict provisions related to disbursement of additional funds to ministers and government officials beyond what has been approved officially in laws and regulations.
According to the code, ministers and secretaries cannot use vehicles that would cost the government more than Rs 3 million and Rs 2 million, respectively.
The code also restricts the use of more than one vehicle for ministers and high-level government officials. “The vehicle facilities will be provided only to those persons who are authorised as per the existing laws and regulations,” the code states.
The new measures have cut down the many facilities the ministers had been enjoying. According to officials, these measures will be strictly followed by the PM himself, the ministers and senior government officials.
All state-funded foreign trips and programmes and meetings would be strictly observed to make sure that officials adhere to the austerity measures.
According to the code, the PM, ministers and other government officials will have to fly economy class while traveling outside the country. The donor-funded projects are not allowed to recruit manpower from outside and they have to use government staff. It has also heavily cut down the overtime allowances of government agencies, stating that staffers could be mobilised on different shifts.
Posted on: 2011-09-17 11:42
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