Speaker National Assembly, Dr. Fehmida Mirza said on Friday that the NA Secretariat through austerity measures saved Rs 380 million during the years 2007-08. She stated this while presiding over a meeting of the Finance Committee of the National Assembly here in the Parliament House.
The Committee approved minutes of the previous meeting of the finance committee, says a statement issued by the NA Secretariat here today.
The committee also approved the figures of the revised budget of the National Assembly for the year 2007-08 and budget estimate for 2009-10.
The committee was of the view that the country was facing difficult economic challenges which can only be met when all organs of the state and sections of the society make sacrifices through economy and frugality in the expenditure.
The Speaker in her brief remarks said that NA Secretariat through austerity measures saved Rs 38 crore during the years 2007-08.
She said that the current budget was freezed at level of previous years budget and the NA expenditure has remained strictly within that limits. She said keeping in view the economic hardships in the country. It was necessary to keep the expenditures within limits. She said that working at the secretariat and services to the parliamentarian are being improved through merit based recruitment and promotions and better training and capacity building of the secretariat staff.
The Committee appreciated practicing of the austerity measures and recommended to continue the same in future too.
The meeting was attended by Faisal Karim Kundi, Deputy Speaker National Assembly, MNAs, Fouzia Wahab, Azeem Daultana, Asma Arbab Alamgir, Nafisa Shah, Ch. Saud Majeed, Sardar Shahjehan Yousaf, Farkhanda Amjad, Bushra Rehman., Secretary Ministry of Finance and Secretary and Additional Secretary of the NA.