National Assembly cuts 381 posts, targets ₨4.5 billion savings through austerity drive

The National Assembly Secretariat expects to save approximately ₨4.5 billion, or 27.3% of its budgeted expenditure for FY2025-26, after implementing a broad right-sizing, fiscal discipline and institutional modernisation programme.

According to a statement issued by the National Assembly Secretariat, the projected expenditure for FY2025-26 stands at ₨16.3 billion, including ₨9.4 billion in employee-related expenses and ₨6.9 billion in non-employee expenditure covering operational costs, utilities, maintenance, procurement, transport and other administrative expenses.

The Secretariat said the reform programme has generated estimated savings of ₨2 billion in employee-related expenditure and ₨2.5 billion in non-employee spending.

As part of the right-sizing initiative, the sanctioned strength of the Secretariat is being reduced from 1,725 posts to 1,344 posts. Of the planned reduction of 381 positions, 301 posts have already been abolished, while the remaining 80 positions are scheduled to be eliminated during FY2026-27.

The Secretariat clarified that no employee was laid off or compelled to resign during the restructuring process.

According to the statement, savings in non-employee expenditure were achieved through tighter financial oversight, cost-effective procurement, energy conservation measures, stricter controls on operational spending and the adoption of modern administrative systems.

A significant portion of the savings came from the transition towards a paperless Parliament. The Secretariat said extensive digitisation of parliamentary business, including the electronic circulation of agendas, bills, committee documents, reports and parliamentary papers, has reduced paper consumption, printing costs, record management expenses and administrative delays.

The National Assembly Secretariat said the reforms were undertaken to improve institutional efficiency, strengthen transparency and ensure more effective use of public resources.