The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to raise the allowances and benefits provided to provincial ministers. A new amendment bill, titled Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ministers’ Salaries, Allowances, and Privileges (Amendment) Act 1975, has been prepared to accommodate these changes.
Under the proposed amendment, the government will allocate up to Rs. 1 million for renovating and furnishing ministers’ official residences. This can be used for carpets, curtains, air conditioners, and refrigerators.
For ministers residing in their private homes, a monthly rental allowance of Rs. 200,000 will be provided. Furthermore, if a minister is not allocated an official residence, the government will offer a rental allowance of Rs. 200,000 per month until official housing is provided.
According to sub-sections 2 and 3 of the amendment bill, ministers are required to provide an inventory of all items in the official residence to the administration department when vacating the property.
The move aims to improve the living conditions of ministers while ensuring transparency in the use of government resources. However, the increase in benefits may face scrutiny from various quarters as public debate continues over the rising costs associated with governance.