LAHORE: The Punjab government will soon make 116 water filtration plants functional that were installed by the Punjab Saaf Pani Company through public health engineering department while the transfers of assets of the Company will be made after it is dissolved.
This was disclosed in a meeting of the cabinet committee on finance and development which was chaired by Punjab Finance Minister Hashim Jawan Bakhat here on Monday.
The meeting also decided hiring of staff in the Punjab Infrastructure Development Authority, and approved Rs 4.707 billion grants for public sector development programme, establishment of offices in Bahawalpur and Multan for South Punjab Secretariat and public finance management unit in finance department.
It also had a green signal for the establishment of Punjab University Medical College and its allied hospital and thus permitting the health department to proceed with the Punjab University. Further, the officials concerned were instructed to develop a comprehensive plan with the consultation of the all stakeholders for the construction of the new offices in Multan and Bahawalpur.
The Minister ordered the finance and planning and development departments to address the concerns of standing committee on the establishment of Public Finance Management Unit. He directed the Punjab Infrastructure Development Authority to provide technical support and advisory to the communication and works department for the construction of public buildings.
Further, he asked the chairman of planning and development to head a committee in which the Punjab Infrastructure Development Authority and communication and works department will give bylaws for the construction of public sector buildings of schools, colleges, hospitals and others to ensure environment-friendly and energy saving infrastructure.
On the occasion, Advisor to Chief Minister Dr Salman Shah stressed the need of checking department's spending and performance in public finance management unit.
The Punjab Chief Secretary stressed the need for improving the efficiency of the law department, Punjab Information and Technology Board (PITB) and PPRA and restricting the size of the Public Finance Management Unit small.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020