Punjab cabinet takes many decisions: Body formed to formulate interim wheat policy

LAHORE: Punjab Cabinet, which met here Thursday with Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar in the chair, accorded approval to the appointment of former Chief Secretary Punjab Major Azam Suleman (retd) as the provincial Ombudsman.

The cabinet meeting also decided to develop Sambli (North) Reserve Forest as Salt Range National Park with an area of 13,700 acres and also approved to issue a notification in this regard. Cutting of trees and hunting would be banned and the land would not be utilized for any other purpose in this park.

The CM also directed to constitute the management committee to oversee the park affairs. The Cabinet decided to constitute a committee under the chairmanship of Senior Minister Abdul Aleem Khan to formulate interim wheat policy 2020-21.

This committee will submit its policy recommendations for releasing wheat to the flour mills. Meanwhile, approval of amendments in the Cooperative Societies Act, 1925 and the Punjab Undesirable Cooperative Societies Dissolution Act, 1993 was granted as well.

CM Usman Buzdar appreciated the performance of Senior Minister Abdul Aleem Khan as well as the food department for procuring record wheat reserves during the current season as bumper wheat stocks have been purchased for the first time after a gap of ten years.

Now, the Punjab government had ample wheat reserves and full attention would be paid to providing relief to the common man while formulating wheat release policy, he added.

Usman Buzdar maintained the incumbent government was creating ease for the indigent stratum and welfare of the impecunious families would be fully taken care of while formulating policy about the release of wheat to the flour mills. He also directed the ministers to proactively attend the budget session.

Talking to provincial ministers and MPAs, the CM maintained that full attention had been paid to the development of backward areas.

"Pakistan and the rest of the world have entered into a new phase due to the global coronavirus pandemic but it is regrettable that Pakistani opposition is still living in the past and indifferent to the hazards of coronavirus," he said, adding: "The opposition leaders are following the practice of 'criticism for the sake of criticism' but the people have fully recognized their dual faces."

Chairperson Punjab Daanish Schools & Centres of Excellence Authority (PDS&CEA) Sumaira Ahmed called on Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar at his office and presented the annual report to him.

The CM expressed satisfaction over achieving hundred percent targets and directed to make functional Daanish School in Vehari at the earliest. Positive reforms will be introduced in the Daanish school system and it will be made public-friendly, he added.

The CM directed to make Daanish schools economically self-reliant and regretted the past rulers used Daanish schools project for personal projection. Centres of excellence will be established in the schools to fulfil the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan, the CM added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020