The Punjab cabinet has given its nod to the Ramazan Package, 2019, through which 309 Ramazan Bazaars will be set up across the province, while around 2,000 dastar khawan will be arranged during the holy month of Ramazanul Mubarak.
Chairing the meeting at his office on Friday, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar said that more subsidies would be given as compared to the past to provide substantial relief to the common man, and the whole team would be proactively engaged during Ramazanul Mubarak. He said essential items would be available at those Ramazan Bazaars on subsidised rates.
Meeting also gives nod to Punjab Local Government Act 2019 and draft of Water Act 2019
The cabinet also gave formal approval to the Punjab Local Government Act 2019 and the draft of Water Act 2019. According to details, through the Water Act 2019, a water resources commission would be established under the chair of the chief minister. Under the new law, pumping out of water without a licence would be banned.
During the meeting, Buzdar directed the authorities concerned to hold a survey for the assessment of damages occurred due to recent rains so that provision of financial aid could be decided.
The Punjab Witness Protection Act 2018 was also approved and a witness protection board would be constituted under this act. The meeting approved the release of Rs 10 billion for the government guarantee and debt authority in favour of Punjab Thermal Power Pvt Ltd. Amendment to the Punjab Electronic Stamp Papers Rules 2016 was given approval as well.
Meanwhile, special audit reports 2016-17 of the Auditor General of Pakistan about the Punjab government accounts were also presented before the cabinet. After the approval of the cabinet, these reports would be presented before the Punjab Assembly. On the occasion, approval was accorded to give the status of tehsil Koh-e-Suleman to the tribal area of DG Khan and decision was also made to allocate five seats for the students belonging to the tribal areas of DG Khan and Rajanpur in Ghazi Medical College, DG Khan. The meeting decided to shut down South Punjab Forest Company. The meeting approved the appointment of the Parks & Horticulture Authority Faisalabad board of directors’ members, while the reduced rates scheme under the Punjab Sales Tax on Services Act 2012 was approved as well.
Cabinet also decides to shut down South Punjab Forest Company
The cabinet meeting approved the financing of population welfare programme Punjab 2017-20 through public sector development programme and funds were approved for devolved vertical programmes of health and population welfare sectors. The meeting approved temporary regulations 2019 under the regulatory steps for immediate eradication of dengue. On the occasion, the meeting accorded approval to the Punjab Animal Health Bill 2019, while amendments to the benevolent fund rules were approved as well for reconsideration of eligibility criteria of monthly grants and increase in grant money. The meeting approved the transfer land for 720-megawatt Karot Power Project, and affairs pertaining to the royalty of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) according to the market value of the LPG were also approved.
The Punjab cabinet approved the establishment of Punjab University of Technology at Rasool in Mandi Bahauddin. Similarly, an amendment to the second schedule of Services Act 2012 of the Punjab Sales Tax was approved.
The cabinet meeting accorded approval to appoint the new president of the Bank of Punjab and an increase in salary of the engineering staff of the Irrigation Department. The enhancement in salaries’ case would be presented before the Cabinet Committee on Finance.
Speaking on the occasion, Buzdar said that provincial ministers, advisers and special assistants should visit health, special education and other institutions so that those institutions could be further improved. Similarly, ministers and other representatives would also visit wheat procurement centres, he said.
The meeting gave approval to 34-points agenda and minutes of the 7th cabinet meeting were also endorsed along with the approval of decisions made during the 4th, 5th and 6th meetings of the Cabinet Committee on Finance. The next cabinet meeting will be held after 15 days.