LAHORE: The Punjab cabinet rejected the proposal of increasing watercharges (abiana) and decided to constitute dispute resolution committees atdistrict level under the police order to help settle disputes at grassrootslevel.
Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar presided over the meeting, whichwas held at the Chief Minister’s Office here on Friday, and accordedapproval to 40-point agenda.
It hoped that constitution of such committees will help solve pettydisputes. The Alternative Dispute Resolution Bill 2019 was given approvaland the meeting also decided to extend the scope of safe city project tobig cities of the province. The project would be extended to such cities oncase-to-case basis and in accordance with the governmental priorities.
The project of constructing low-cost houses in Chishtian, Lodhran andRenala Khurd under Prime Minister’s Naya Pakistan Housing Programme wasalso given approval and the housing department would perform its duty ofimplementing the project after approval of the cabinet.
The meeting gave approval for giving administrative and financial autonomyto the Institute of Public Health Lahore, along with the decision toformulate administrative committee to deal with the matters pertaining tothe IPH.
The meeting approved changing of name of Fort Munro Development Authorityto Koh-e-Suleman Development Authority Dera Ghazi Khan. It was also decidedthat the scope of the authority would be extended to tribal area ofKoh-e-Suleman tehsil. The establishment of a new post of Border MilitaryPolice for the tribal area of Saakar in D G Khan approved.
The cabinet decided to nominate provincial minister for energy as thechairman of cabinet committee for energy and additional chief secretary(energy) as its member.
The meeting approved the draft of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) forthe launch of NFC centres and awareness activities for the project oferadication of child labour by strengthening government institutions andcommunity.
Meanwhile, an approval was given to transfer land to the NHA forconstruction of Lahore Eastern Bypass Project.
The cabinet also gave approval to Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute andResearch Centre Act 2019, Provincial Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill 2018for traffic management reforms and Punjab Red Zones (Establishment &Security) Bill 2018, while the draft of the agreement between the Punjabgovernment and the UET Lahore was approved as well for setting up ACtesting lab at the Kala Shah Kaku Campus of the University of EngineeringTechnology Lahore.
The meeting gave approval to the draft amendment law of the Punjab Zakat &Ushr Act 2018, drafts of Punjab Animal Health Act 2018 and Punjab Literacyand Non-formal Education Policy 2018.
Approval was accorded to the specified criterion for search committee andits process of constitution along with matters pertaining to experience,competence, qualification for vice chancellor posts of general educationand women universities.
Similarly, approval was given to the qualification, experience andcompetence for the post of vice chancellors of specialised universities,constitution of search committee and procedure of its working.
The matters pertaining to 720-megawatt Karot Hydropower Project and mergerof Water Management Wing Supervisor (BS-11) of Agriculture Department asSub Engineer (BS-11) in C&W Department under the directions of SupremeCourt were also approved by the meeting.
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Similarly, the draft bill of the Punjab Minimum Wages Act 2018, proposedamendments to Provincial Employees Social Security Ordinance 1965 and theMoU between Human Rights and Minorities Affairs Department and ChristianCare Foundation Lahore were given approval. Along with it, nomination ofmembers of board of directors of Parks and Horticulture Authorities ofLahore, Multan, Sargodha and Gujranwala were approved by the cabinet aswell.
The nomination of governing body members of Rawalpindi DevelopmentAuthority, Bahawalpur Development Authority, Sargodha Development Authorityand Multan Development Authority under Development of Cities Act 1976 wasgiven approval.
The nomination of public representatives as members and vice chairman ofgoverning body of Faisalabad Development Authority under Development ofCities Act 1976 were also approved.
On the occasion, amendment to Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Policy2012 and matters pertaining to training of technical and management staffof the provincial government under Petroleum Policy 2018 were givenapproval as well.
Addressing the meeting, the CM said that farmers’ interests would beprotected at every cost and their rights would not be compromised. The PTIgovernment is a genuine guardian of the rights of the farmers.
He said that development of the Punjab province is our main objective andpublic interest is maintained in every decision. Despite financialconstraints, we do not want to transfer any burden to the people, he said.
The chief minister also congratulated newly sworn-in minister Baao MuhammadRizwan to the cabinet meeting. The participants also expressed good wishesand welcomed Baao Rizwan to the meeting.
He said that political and public related services of Abdul Aleem Khan werepraiseworthy and his performance as the Senior Minister remained brilliant.
Abdul Aleem Khan has resigned from the ministry by showing high moral normsand it is hoped that he will get justice. The PTI government fully believesin the supremacy of law, he added.
The cabinet meeting also endorsed the decisions made in the previousmeeting.
Provincial ministers, advisors, special assistants, chief secretary andhigh officials attended the meeting.