Cabinet Likely To Approve Two Holidays In A Week

“All provincial governments have already accepted the proposal,” said a senior administration official told reporters on Tuesday. The federal government is also expected to place a massive cut in a daily expenditure of the president, prime minister, federal ministers and chief ministers of four provinces under the proposed austerity drive, to be approved at the special meeting cabinet.

The agenda of the special cabinet meeting, to be chaired by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, said that the main focus of the meeting will be on the adoption and implementation of austerity measures. The program of austerity measures introduced to reduce government spending by adjusting administrative and management in the current system.

Austerity plan consists of the other three items on the agenda the approval of a sugar policy, gas load management plan for 2009-10 and the review of procurement of rice in the Kharif 2009 season.

The Commission of the austerity measures, led by Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin, the federal government has suggested that government resources could be retained if declared holiday on Saturday and Sunday, 1 December 2009 onwards.

According to sources, Punjab and NWFP had opposed the idea, saying it would reduce the productivity of government officials and the general public would be affected.

“But the energy crisis and the recent terrorist attacks have forced the Punjab and NWFP to accept the proposal,” said a senior official, adding that it was likely that the decision was approved during a cabinet meeting.

“The working hours at all branches of government would be 8-4, with one and a half of rest hours of prayer on Friday,” the official said.

ISLAMABAD: The federal government is expected to approve two days in a week for all public sector institutions at a special meeting here on Wednesday.

“All provincial governments have already accepted the proposal,” said a senior administration official told reporters on Tuesday. The federal government is also expected to place a massive cut in a daily expenditure of the president, prime minister, federal ministers and chief ministers of four provinces under the proposed austerity drive, to be approved at the special meeting cabinet.

The agenda of the special cabinet meeting, to be chaired by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, said that the main focus of the meeting will be on the adoption and implementation of austerity measures. The program of austerity measures introduced to reduce government spending by adjusting administrative and management in the current system.

Austerity plan consists of the other three items on the agenda the approval of a sugar policy, gas load management plan for 2009-10 and the review of procurement of rice in the Kharif 2009 season.

The Commission of the austerity measures, led by Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin, the federal government has suggested that government resources could be retained if declared holiday on Saturday and Sunday, 1 December 2009 onwards.

According to sources, Punjab and NWFP had opposed the idea, saying it would reduce the productivity of government officials and the general public would be affected.

“But the energy crisis and the recent terrorist attacks have forced the Punjab and NWFP to accept the proposal,” said a senior official, adding that it was likely that the decision was approved during a cabinet meeting.

“The working hours at all branches of government would be 8-4, with one and a half of rest hours of prayer on Friday,” the official said.