MULTAN: South Punjab secretariat is likely to achieve complete financial autonomy to ensure matchless development in the region.
Additional Chief Secretary Capt. (Retd) Saqib Zafar while chairing a meeting, attended by secretaries of different department, here remarked that South Punjab Secretariat was moving towards another milestone.
“Significant progress has been made to give financial autonomy to the South Punjab Secretariat”, he maintained.
The preparations have been started to give full financial control over the budget to South Punjab Secretariat. With the acquisition of financial autonomy, the power to issue non-development budget to the subsidiaries will be transferred from Lahore to South Punjab.
Additional Chief Secretary South Punjab Captain (R) Saqib Zafar directed the secretaries to complete their homework.
“All secretaries should complete verification of funds and cost centers of subordinate departments by March 25”, instructed Captain (R) Saqib Zafar. South Punjab Finance Department will hand over all records to Lahore Finance Department for mapping soon.
“Until now, the secretaries of South Punjab had the authority to spend on non-developmental expenses of their offices only,” Saqib stated, adding that after getting financial autonomy, each department will have the power to issue budget to its subsidiaries.
“Health and Education departments will be able to release budget to district authorities concerned. Similarly, housing, livestock, forest and all other departments will release budget to their subordinate offices,” Saqib Zafar said and also added that financial control of Lahore finance department will end when South Punjab will obtain financial autonomy.
“The initiative will be of great importance for the region. Powers of Administrative Secretaries will improve further. Apart from this, it will also refine process of financial management,” he added.
The Additional Chief Secretary claimed that south Punjab Secretariat was moving towards the goal of complete autonomy with each new day. Earlier, Additional Secretary Finance South Punjab Zahid Ikram gave a briefing about different financial affairs. Secretariat of different departments were also present on this occasion.
