More than 100 state bodies to be closed down

The Government will be winding up or transferring the powers of more than 100 commissions, agencies and advisory boards, after revelations that their services were not needed or could be performed by existing institutions.

The Salaries and Cadres Commission among them would be closed down from March 31 and its functions taken over by the Director General of the Department of Management Services under the Finance Ministry and the Director General of Establishment Management Under the Ministry of Public Administration.

The Government is currently spending Rs. 5.8 million to maintain 15 members of the Salaries and Cadres Commission and 36 other staff members.

The Commission last month spent Rs. 2.7 million on staff salaries and Rs. 1.4 million for rent at the BMICH from a total expenditure of Rs. 5.1 million. The Commission has been allocated Rs. 71 million for this year.

The functions of the Salaries and Cadres Commission were earlier performed by the Finance and Public Administration Ministries.

The Commission’s staff are to be absorbed by the Public Administration Ministry.

Also to be closed is the Advisory Board established under the Prevention of Terrorism Act by the then President in August 2021. Recommendations have been made by the Presidential Secretariat that these functions are already being performed by the Ministry of Justice. At least 50 commissions, agencies and advisory boards have been shortlisted for closure while another 50 such establishments are to be identified.

At least 17 such agencies operated under the Ministry of Education and would be closed down soon, a senior official said.

The high expenses, overlapping of duties and their performance had been taken into consideration in taking the decision to close down the institutions, he said.

(Source: The Sunday Times)