Punjab Cabinet, which met here Tuesday with chief minister Sardar Usman Buzdar in the chair accorded approval for the establishment of 13-member Punjab Local Government Finance Commission that would be headed by provincial finance minister and would devise the formula of provincial taxes.

The Cabinet in its 18th meeting also decided to lift ban on recruitment against vacant posts from BS-1 to4 and the CM directed the departments to forward their cases seeking his approval for recruitment against these posts. The Punjab cabinet decided to shutdown Sasti Roti Authority and also to hold special audit of irregularities in this scheme. Action will be initiated in the light of special audit report, the provincial information minister Mian Aslam Iqbal said in a media briefing after the meeting.

The meeting decided to amend the table of registration fee of Registration Act, 1908 and the scope of e-stamping scheme will be further expanded after the amendments. Approval was given to increase fines for violation of traffic rules as well as adoption of different steps for ensuring traffic management in the light of Provincial Motor Vehicles Amendment Bill, 2019. The meeting also gave approval regarding amendments in the Punjab Border Military Police and Baloch Levies Service Rules, 2009. It also decided to establish University of Technology in Rawalpindi and approved draft bill 2019 in this regard. The Cabinet approved release of funds of over Rs 60 million for operation of Speedo buses from Bahawalpur to Lodhran. It also accorded approval to the draft of Punjab Demarcation, Numbering and Naming of Village and Neighborhood Rules, 2019.

Addressing the meeting, the CM Usman Buzdar directed the ministers to hold open courts in their respective districts to provide relief to the people and to check price hike of essential items. He asked the ministers to review progress made on development projects and also visit hospitals, educational institutions, arazi record centers, police stations, jails and other public places and submit their reports to the CM's Office.

The meeting gave approval to the appointment of Iftikhar Taj Mian as non-official member of management committee of Punjab Pension Fund. Minutes of 17th meeting of Punjab cabinet were also endorsed besides approval of decisions made in the 14th and 15th meetings of cabinet standing committee on finance and development.

Provincial ministers, advisors, special assistants, chief secretary, administrative secretaries and high officials attended the meeting.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019