LAHORE: Chief Minister of Punjab Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi presided over the eighth provincial cabinet meeting on Thursday during which it was decided that a single authority will monitor all the programmes for social protection of the weak segments of the society.
The cabinet granted approval to the Punjab Social Protection Policy 2022. As many as 129 ongoing social protection programmes are being run under different departments in Punjab.
The public welfare programmes will be ensured by a single authority under the Social Protection Authority. The Cabinet granted approval to merge Zakat & Usher, Social Welfare and Bait-ul-Mal departments and with the merger of three departments, a single department of Social Protection will be established. The Cabinet paid tributes to Chairman PTI Imran Khan for collecting funds for the flood victims by telethon. The cabinet also lauded the exemplary services of Dr. Sania Nishter, head of Punjab Ehsas Programme being rendered in the flood relief programme.
The CM revealed that the Punjab government has distributed Rs.5 billion among the flood affectees uptill now adding that payments to 36 thousand affected families have been disbursed. He denounced that the federal government did not pay a single penny for the assistance of flood affectees of Punjab. The Punjab government has allocated Rs 1 billion to assist the flood affectees of Sindh. The CM said, "We want the Sindh government to provide authentic data at the earliest so that the deserving can receive his due right and share."
The Cabinet was informed that the World Bank will provide grant of 130 million dollars for the success of family planning programme. The cabinet expressed its serious reservations over the attitude of federal government for not paying the amount of universal health insurance programme and demanded from the federal government to soon release pending dues of Punjab. The cabinet granted approval for the establishment of Khatamun Nabieen(SAW) University in Lahore and also allocated funds of Rs.1 billion for the provision of other facilities. An amount of Rs.1 billion will be disbursed under the Annual Development Programme for the provision of additional facilities in the Khatamun Nabieen(SAW) University. VC Block, Mosque and a hostel will be established in the Khatamun Nabieen(SAW) University located in the Seerat Academy at Upper Mall. Approval was granted for Rs.3 billion to construct multi-storey parking plaza, overhead bridge and underground passage for the facilitation of devotees visiting Data Darbar. Approval was also granted to incorporate the project in the Annual Development Programme to construct parking plaza, overhead bridge and underground passage for the pedestrians near Data Darbar. The parking facility of more than 400 vehicles will be available in the parking plaza. Approval was granted for the induction on the approved vacant 580 posts from grade 5 to 15 in the Special Education Department and for 839 new posts of junior and senior special education teachers to reduce the difference in the percentage of teachers and students in the Special Education Department. It was also decided to do ring fencing of the budget of Special Education Department. Approval was also granted to make induction on 632 posts in the Labour and Human Resource department, 1784 posts of the secretaries of union council in the Local government and Community Development.
The cabinet approved induction of Excise inspectors in the Excise & Taxation department and for making induction on the 416 approved vacant posts from grade 5 to grade 15 in Excise & Taxation department. Approval was also accorded to make induction through selection committee s for the posts of Assistant Food Controllers, Food Grain Inspectors and Food Grain Supervisors in the food Department.
Approval was also granted during the Cabinet meeting to set up state of the art film production studio and cinema complex for the revival of film industry.
The cabinet also granted approval to accord Mandi Shah Jewena the status of new tehsil of district Jhang. Shah Jewena will become the 5th tehsil of district Jhang. Approval was also granted for the annual grant in aid for Alzheimer Pakistan, amendments in the section 187(2) & (4) of Punjab Local Government Act 2022 and amendments in rule 5 of sub-section 1 of Appointment and Conditions of Service Rules 2018.
The cabinet also granted approval of Rs.250 million grant for the Journalists Housing Society on 189 kanals in Faisalabad and to transfer 189 kanals of land in the name of Journalists Housing Foundation. The CM stated that the Punjab government will fulfil the dream of journalists of Faisalabad for having their own house. He directed that the transfer work of Punjab Journalists Housing Foundation from RUDA should be completed as soon as possible. It was decided to review the negative lists of roads for CNG and petrol pumps afresh and approval was granted to purchase 25 new buses amounting to Rs.400 million for TEVTA.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022