The government is considering introducing new pay scales, BPS-23 and BPS-24, to enhance the salary structure for top bureaucrats. A civil service reforms committee recently reviewed this proposal, along with suggestions for categorising ministries based on workload and merging allowances.
During the meeting, concerns were raised about replacing the current Basic Pay Scale (BPS) system. The Finance Division’s additional secretary explained that managing separate pay structures for different services would be difficult.
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It was noted that before the BPS system was introduced in 1973, salaries were based on job classifications from highly skilled to unskilled workers.
The committee also discussed incentivising ministries with highly technical workloads, such as power and energy, to attract specialised talent. A case study of the Neelum-Jhelum hydropower project was cited, highlighting losses caused by a lack of skilled human resources.
Another key issue was the housing facility for federal employees. Many committee members supported monetising the housing allowance, but the Finance Division warned that it could cost the government Rs. 24 billion annually.
The Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) secretary suggested implementing monetisation in phases, starting with the Federal Secretariat. The committee concluded by directing working groups to consolidate recommendations for the next meeting.
