THE decision by the caretaker administration in Punjab to suspend operations of four offices under the use of the chief minister in a bid to reduce the government expenditure is a welcome step and brings some sanity into this fragile economic situation.
The interim chief executive has also decided to himself bear the expenses related to his staff, and has initiated a new tradition of having meals from his own household. Such austerity measures taken by the chief minister deserve commendation.
Regrettably, the culture of lavish spending is common not only in elite public offices, but in society as a whole.
However, the wastage of public money by any government is not justified at all as a government is actually the custodian of every penny that is part of public resources. Unfortunately, our political leaders have played havoc with the country and are responsible for our present economic situation.
The economy is in a state of despair and is heading towards a stage of even higher inflation and even lower growth owing to the severe foreign exchange shortage. It is hoped that some sanity might still prevail and the chief ministers in other provinces will follow their counterpart in Punjab to bring the government expenditure under control.
