LAHORE: The Punjab Finance Department has increased the utility allowance of officers and officials employed in the Punjab Civil Secretariat; contract employees and officials on deputation will not be eligible for the increment, Pakistan Today learnt here on Friday.
Pakistan Today further learnt that the utility allowance for grades one to eight has been upgraded from Rs3,000 per month to Rs6,000 per month.
Similarly, the utility allowance of officials of grades nine to 14 has been upgraded from Rs4,000 to Rs8,000 while the utility allowance of grade 15 officials has been increased from Rs5,000 to Rs10,000 per month.
Furthermore, the utility allowance for officials of grades 16 and 17 has been increased from Rs7,000 to Rs14,000 per month.
The notification issued by the finance department in this regard states: “ln continuation of this Department’s Notification No. FD. SR-1-9-1412002(P), dated January 31, 2017, competent authority has been pleased to enhance the rate of utility allowance subject to the condition that the administrative departments will meet the demand for additional funds from within their existing non-development budget for the financial year 2019-20, through re-appropriation or 2nd Statement of Excesses and Surrenders, to all the employees in BS-01 to 85-16 and the incumbents of the posts of Private Secretary (BS-17) & Superintendent (BS-17), working in the Punjab Civil Secretariat and drawing pay from the payroll of Secretariat Departments with effect from January 1, 2020.”
A finance department official told Pakistan Today that the copy of this notification has also been forwarded to all additional secretaries, deputy secretaries, and section officers of the Punjab government. A copy has also been forwarded to the Punjab Accountant General for necessary actions, said the official.
