Rationalisation of government departments: Punjab chief minister gives approval for recommendations

Punjab Chief Minister, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif on Thursday granted approval to the recommendations of the cabinet committee for rationalisation of government departments including winding up of different companies, project management units, curtailing of TMA staff and rationalisation of post of DDO (building & roads) and district set-up of communication and works department.
Similarly, restructuring of development authorities and rationalisation of the posts of advisors/consultants in the office of the ombudsman has also been approved. For the purpose of reduction in non-developmental expenditures through curtailing TMA's staff on the recommendation of cabinet committee, 54 vacant posts of ATO (I&S), 21 of ATO (Finance) and 32 of Council officer/chief officer have been abolished. Similarly 40 posts of DDO (Roads) and 40 of DDO (Buildings) in communication and works department have been abolished.
Regarding restructuring of development authorities, 1132 posts in various development agencies in different pay scales have been frozen up to June 2012. Moreover, in order to rationalise posts of advisors/consultants at the office of the ombudsman, four posts of advisors/consultants in the head office/regional offices and two secretariat's posts (deputy secretary and section officer) have been surrendered by the ombudsman.
It may be mentioned that the cabinet committee had recommended winding up of five companies under the agriculture department including sugarcane research and development company, cotton research and development company, rice research and development company, mango research and development company and citrus research and development company since these are non-functional companies.
The committee had also recommended termination of Project Management Units including Wazirabad Institute of Cardiology, Shaikh Zayed Medical Complex Rahim Yar Khan, Children Hospital Complex Multan, Fatima Jinnah Institute for Dental Sciences Lahore, Faisalabad Institute of Cardiology, Establishment of Fatima Jinnah Burn & Re-constructive Surgery Centre Lahore under Health Department and Clean Drinking Water for All under LG&CD Department.