ISLAMABAD, Aug 20 (APP):Advisor to Prime Minister on Institutional Reforms Dr. Ishrat Hussain on Thursday said that government was working on special reforms agenda to modernize and simplify the functioning of government through the use of e-governance tools.
Addressing joint press briefing regarding two years performance of the government, flanked by Federal Minister for Information And Broadcasting Senator Syed Shibli Faraz alongwith, Abdul Razzak Dawood Advisor on Commerce, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Climate Change, Malik Amin Aslam, Minister of State for Climate Change, Zartaj Gul, Minister for SAFRON and Narcotics Control Shehryar Afridi and Minister of State for Parliament Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan , he said that all the crisis in the country were result of poor governance in the past.
He said 73,000 redundant posts, lying vacant for more than one year, had been abolished.
The advisor made it clear that the government was not going to deprive anyone of job and we only abolished the redundant posts to reduce size of the federal government as an austerity measure.
He said that 440 various federal departments and institutions had been reduced to 324.Dr. Ishrat said these departments had lost their importance and their reduction would result in saving the government expenditure.The advisor said automation was the government’s top priority to check corruption, bad governance, and discretionary powers of the government functionaries.
He said Information Technology had cardinal role in introducing automation in the government departments to improve their performance. He said business process would be made easy by introducing e-filing.The advisor said “We are going to introduce Public Finance Management System under which government departments have to present their reports before the parliament.”
He said loss making entities like Pakistan International Airlines and Pakistan Steel Mills had been continuously bleeding the economy of the country and now steps were being taken to reform and restructure PIA, PSM and Federal Board of Revenue to make them efficient and modern entities.He said now refunds of the business community would be given in an automated manner to ensure transparency.
Regarding civil service reforms, the Advisor said earlier cadre officers were offered trainings and now it would be available for non-cadre people as well. He said now promotion to various posts would be made on performance and training basis instead of relying on the seniority only.
