LAHORE: Punjab cabinet, which met with Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif in the chair, accorded approval to ‘Nigahban Ramazan Package’ worth Rs30 billion. This package will benefit 30 million people while an ATM card for Nigahban Ramazan Package will be introduced in Punjab from next year.
The Chief Minister said that for the first time in Punjab, the public will not have to stand in queues and will get Rs10,000 sitting at home. The meeting also approved provision of 1,000 free tractors to wheat farmers in place of land levellers.
The provincial cabinet took an important decision to promote industrialization in Punjab and approved ‘Zero Time to Start Policy’ for Special Economic Zones, Industrial Estates, and Small Industrial Estates.
The Chief Minister said, “Investors should come, set up industries, start their work, action will be taken later on. We want to provide all kinds of facilities to the industrialists in Punjab for doing business. They may set up as many industries as they can, they will be given NOCs immediately. The difficult process for setting up industries will be made easy and business-friendly.”
The cabinet approved free travel facility for differently-abled and senior citizens in the mass transit system and agreed on the proposal to introduce a special student travel card for the students.
The CM has sought a plan to start a tram service. Funds worth Rs580 million have been approved for the “Cryoablation” machine, an alternative to chemotherapy for cancer patients and the CM directed to introduce a modern cancer treatment method for cancer patients. Funds have been approved to make special education centres of excellence across Punjab.
The CM directed to make special education centres friendly and better for differently-abled people. A decision has been taken in principle to introduce a special transport for differently-abled people in Punjab. Approval has been given to recruit 5,960 constables. Restrictions were relaxed for 127 recruitments in the Mass Transit Authority along with 87 posts were approved for recruitment in the Child Protection and Welfare Bureau.
The age limit for filling up vacant posts of doctors in Basic and Clinical Sciences was enhanced up to 65 years. Approval was given for recruitment of 25 posts in the ICT of Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education and staff in 4 Danish Schools in Taunsa and Mankera. A supplementary grant was approved for recruitment on vacant posts in the Forest Department and a decision was taken in principle to recruit 500 posts under the Traffic Management Plan in Murree. Amendment in the Motor Vehicle Ordinance 1965 was approved for the implementation of the Axle Load Management System in Punjab.
It was decided to replace 353 vehicles of Rescue 1122 services in Punjab in a phased manner. In the first phase, 117 Rescue 1122 ambulances will be provided. Punjab Special Planning Act 2024 was approved. The meeting approved qualification criteria for the Vice-Chancellors of technological universities. The reconstitution of Punjab Cooperative Bank Limited was approved. Legislation was approved for the establishment of ‘Punjab Energy Efficiency and Conservation Agency’. The draft of the Punjab Local Government Act 2024 was approved.
The chair directed Minister for Information and Culture Azma Zahid Bokhari to review the Punjab Defamation (Tribunal) Rules 2024. Approval was given for the dissolution of the task force and the establishment of a Ministerial Committee to review delimitation of divisions, districts and tehsils. Approval of Rs309 million was given for the construction and renovation of the metro corridor of the Lahore Metrobus System. Grant was approved for the operationalization of the pilot project of electric buses.
The meeting approved the ‘e-credit scheme’ of the Chief Minister Punjab Livestock Card and establishing a special centre for robotic artificial limbs from South Korea. The meeting approved the reconstitution of the Board of Directors of the Punjab Transport Company, the appointment of the Chairperson of the Child Protection and Welfare Bureau, the reconstitution of the Punjab Zakat & Ushr Council, the filling of the vacant post of the Information Commissioner of Punjab and the formation of a new Board of Directors of the Punjab Mineral Company.
Funds for repair of old bulldozers in Heavy Industry Taxila, capacity building project for employees of provincial and regional transport authorities, operation and maintenance of Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park Bahawalpur, flood management of mountain rivers in DG Khan and Rajanpur, procedure for appointment of Chief Oncologist of Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cancer Treatment and Research Lahore and review of special allowance of district law officers were approved.
The meeting decided to establish a committee for auctioning precious metals on the banks of the Indus River. The CM approved the establishment of the Health Reforms Initiative ‘Maryam Nawaz Health Clinic’, the acquisition of consultancy services for feasibility studies of development projects and the mid-term review of the Annual Development Programme 2024-25.
The cabinet also approved the establishment of smart police stations in various districts of Punjab. Funds for water supply project in Murree, grant for construction of drainage and water supply line in Kasur, construction of road between Lodhran and Jalalpur and construction of flyover at Pathanwala railway crossing, construction of 29.70km road in Sialkot, inclusion of Bahawalpur Ring Road project in the Annual Development Programme, construction of additional carriageway in Toba Tek Singh, establishment of health centre in Bhurban, restoration of Hazrat Dawood Bandagi’s shrine in Okara were approved.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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