Govt Forms Austerity Committee to Prepare Plan to Reduce Expenditure

The federal government has constituted an austerity committee to prepare a plan to reduce expenditure. According to the cabinet division, Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission will be the chairman of the committee while the other members of the committee include Secretary, Finance Division, Secretary, I&P Rashid Mahmood Langrial, Dr Kaiser Bengali, Dr Farrukh Saleem and Muhammad Naveed Iftikhar. The Terms of Reference (ToRs) of the committee will be to take stock of all reports commissioned so far, including the report of the National Austerity Committee notified by the Finance Division, for institutional reforms, etc. aimed at downsizing the Federal government. The ToRs also include capturing all the progress made so far in downsizing/rightsizing of Federal Government and preparing a strategy and implementation plan for all remaining recommendations with timelines. Any other proposal (relating to PSDP, Pension Scheme, etc.) that can help reduce government expenditure. The committee may co-opt any person from the public/private sector, if deemed necessary, for this task. The committee will submit its report within one week for perusal/consideration of the Prime Minister.