Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Increases Ministers Perks: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has taken the decision to increase the perks and privileges of ministers and advisers further. The Punjab Assembly has submitted a 2024 amendment bill in this regard. According to this bill, Rs 10 lakh will be provided to ministers once for the renovation of government houses including carpets, curtains, air conditions, and a refrigerator. These perks are being considered a new turning point in the policy of this government.
As mentioned by the amendment bill, if a minister does not get any house of government, he would be provided with a monthly rent house for Rs 2 lakh, and the ministers are even authorized to renovate Rs 1 lakh in rented houses. However, if a minister is living in his personal home, he will also be given a monthly rent of Rs 2 lakh, but in case of government or rent residence, renovation has to return.
Provincial Law Minister Aftab Alma clarified in the Assembly that it was the prerogative of the government to offer housing facilities to the cabinet members. He said that the amount allocated for the first renovation was not enough, and for Rs 1 lakh can be improved according to the standards of the ministers. The move has been completed by the government under the supervision of the Chief Minister.
Opposition Leader Dr Ibadullah has announced not to seek concessions keeping in view the current situation in the province. He made it clear that he would neither take public residence nor accept any money in the rent. According to them, the demand for additional concessions in the current situation is not in the public interest.
Renovation Allowance for Government Houses
According to the latest drafts of amendments, the amount of Rs 1 lakh is going to be received in time by the ministers on the account of renovation of government-provided residences. This amount falls into the mandatory upgrade due to which the houses are going to be provided with carpets, curtains, air conditioning units and refrigerators so that they are going to be left with residual conditions.
Housing Facilities for Ministers who do not have Official Residences
The Bill clears the situation for such ministers who are not able to get access to government residences. Then they would be allowed to draw a monthly allowance of Rs 2 lakh to rent a proper house. Besides, the renovation fund of Rs 1 lakh may also be used to upgrade the property so that they may be able to create an environment to live comfortably.
Ministries Making Use of Personal Houses
Apart from this, even those ministers who have a choice of using personal houses rather than government or rented houses will also be considered. He can receive a Rs 2 lakh monthly rent allowance. However, he has to pay back the state for furniture and interior work conducted for vacating the government or rented house.
Justification of the Amendments by Provincial Law Minister
In the house, the Law Minister Iftab Alam addressing the amendments threw a responsibility on the government for befitting houses to the ministers of the cabinet. He said that there was a time when this government had just been formed, and only seven official residences had been there for the ministers. Such houses were being allotted by the Chief Minister through a lottery system.
As the Minister noted, the former caretaker ministers do not take the houses offered by the government. The renovation budget, to begin with, is fixed at Rs 5 lakh, and only Rs 3.5 lakh was used. According to what seems to reflect the ready needs of the government, better life conditions will be provided for existing ministers under this new budget.
Changes in Renovation and Rent Allowances
The amendment has, however, gone for the drastic increase in the rent allowance to Rs 2 lakh from Rs 70,000 every month. According to the minister, this amount was not enough to save housing up well-established areas.
However, one needs to see that the increase also aligns with the prevailing market situation and it is pretty much possible for the ministers getting accommodation places they want at those prices.
Plan for new ministerial residences in Punjab
Apart from increasing the existing privileges, the government further disclosed its decision to construct separate houses for ministers in Punjab. Every such house is expected to cost about 50 million, and this was the undertaking of quality housing for the government’s cabinet members.
Counter-Reaction of the Opposition on the Increased Privileges
Despite the justification of the government, the decision had criticism of the opposition. The opposition leader, Dr Abdullah, condemned it in the Assembly, referring to economic problems the province was facing. As a symbolic gesture, he declared he would relinquish all the benefits of the government, such as housing allowances and other privileges. Dr Abdullah’s move has signaled that this debate about who gets what is going on with the balance of needs of government officials with respect to the wealthful financial facts of the province.
Also, Read Breaking News! adjusted electricity tariffs several times JAN-2025
Conclusion
It presented mixed reactions to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s decision of increasing the privileges of its ministers and advisers through salaries and allowances on salaries and allowances by 2024. Apart from instigating the government to provide adequate housing and facilities to its ministers, the opposition has termed a ban in the wake of the financial barriers in the province. The new allowances might ignite the issue of governance and public responsibility in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by taking the pendency of this debate to its final state.