PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has on Wednesday allowed the nine departments to purchase 70 new vehicles at a cost of Rs358 million despite the financial constraints as well as unavailability of funds from the federal government in terms of net hydel profit.
According to the available documents of Finance Department, permission to purchase new vehicles was sought for 13 departments during a meeting of the transport committee, chaired by the KP finance secretary, but the committee allowed nine departments to purchase new vehicles.
According to the approval, nine Toyota cars will be purchased for the Kohat Division Development Project at the cost of Rs61.5 million, four for the Project Management Unit, four for the District Management Unit and one for the Support Unit.
One Toyota car for the Bannu commissioner, one for the additional commissioner and two 1000 cc cars for the assistant commissioners at the cost of Rs96.73 million will be purchased.
36 vehicles for the Local Government Department at the cost of Rs194.5 million, including five vehicles for the LGD Secretariat, 1800 cc vehicles for the LGD special secretaries, 1300 cc vehicles for the additional secretary development, additional secretary establishment and chief planning officer, and one 1000 cc vehicle for the senior planning officer, will be purchased.
Similarly, some single-cabin vehicles will be procured for the Buner Local Government assistant engineer, Nowshera additional deputy commissioner general, additional deputy commissioner finance and planning, assistant commissioner, Pabbi assistant commissioner and Jahangira assistant commissioner.
With the approval, some 2800 cc vehicles for the Lower Kohsitan deputy commissioner, additional deputy commissioner finance and planning, additional deputy commissioner general and assistant commissioner will be purchased.
The other departments, who will get new vehicles, are Public Service Commission, District Development Advisory Committees, Tourism Sports and Culture Department, Energy and Planning Department and Agriculture Department.
According to some sources in the finance department, the KP government approved millions of rupees for the purchase of new vehicles for various departments despite the ban on new vehicles and trips to foreign countries. The province is already facing financial difficulties due to non-availability of funds from the federal government in terms of net hydel profit.
50-50 lakhs Rupees for each staff car? Paglaa Gaye Hain Kya! 🤔
There should be audit of that and if the audit is approved then there doesn’t seem to be a problem. Cars are costly these days and specially the Japanese ones (Japanese firms blame the dollar price for everything). Other than that, it is legitimate and the government departments do needs car so it’s not a thing to be made a news headlines.