First-ever meeting at S Punjab SecttPunjab cabinet approves Rs32,000 as minimum wage

MULTAN/LAHORE: The Punjab cabinet Monday approved workers’ minimum monthly wages of Rs32,000, and caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi directed the authorities concerned to ensure implementation of the decision in letter and spirit.

The 25th meeting of the provincial cabinet was held at the south Punjab secretariat in Multan for the first time in history of the province, with caretaker CM in the chair.

The cabinet gave a big relief to the disabled, elderly and students by allowing them to travel for free on the metro bus service and orange-line metro train. The cabinet also approved the facility of free travel on the orange line metro train and metro bus service for disabled persons, senior citizens and students.

The cabinet also approved committee’s recommendations regarding policy for admissions to in government medical and dental colleges for the session 2023-24.

It approved formation of a cabinet committee to deal with smog and the CM ordered effective measures to deal with it. The cabinet also approved the launch of an endowment fund worth one billion rupees for welfare of journalists and their families. The CM directed the secretaries to conduct field visits on every Wednesday.

The cabinet was briefed about the mega development projects of south Punjab, including the annual development programme and road repair and maintenance schemes, and Lahore, Sahiwal, Bahawalnagar motorway and Multan ring road projects. The CM ordered completion of projects at the earliest.

The cabinet meeting decided to entrust the responsibility of making dispensaries functional and operational on the high court premises in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Bahawalpur and Multan to the Punjab Health Facilities Management Company (PHFMC).

It was decided to expand the scope of Punjab’s education landscape under the school adoption programme. The cabinet also extended the contracts of the employees of the Violence Against Women Centre Multan and appointed a chairman and member for the LDA Commission.

It was approved to transfer the management of Haji Abdul Qayyum Teaching Hospital Sahiwal from the Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education Department to the Primary & Secondary Health Department.

Meanwhile the signing ceremony of an agreement between the Department of Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education and Child Life Foundation was held here at the Children’s Hospital Multan. Caretaker CM Mohsin Naqvi participated as the guest of honour at the ceremony. According to the agreement, the emergency of the Children’s Hospital will be improved. The Child Life Foundation will ensure provision of medical facilities in the emergency of the Children’s Hospital. The agreement was signed by Secretary Health Ali Jan and the officials of the Child Life Foundation.

The chief minister said development of agriculture was among top priorities of the Punjab government. Construction of a bridge and repair of roads would start soon in Shujabad, he promised. Nawabpur Road, damaged for a long time, is being repaired. Just as $3 billion have been saved in reference to cotton, “we will also save with wheat, edible oil and other commodities,” he said.

The provincial policy for safeguarding the nationwide network of oil pipelines system, names of personalities for the Quaid-e-Azam Police Medal and President Police Medal and establishment of the Punjab Mental Health Authority under the Punjab Mental Health (Amendment) Act 2014 were also approved.

Provincial ministers, advisors, chief secretary, IG police and others attended the meeting. Separately, Caretaker CM Mohsin Naqvi visited Mian Nawaz Sharif (MNS) Agricultural University Multan and held a consultative session with professors, researchers and farmers. It was agreed to promote agricultural research sustainably.

The CM announced a ministerial committee for devising comprehensive recommendations for promotion of agri-research. The committee, comprising provincial minister SM Tanvir, Bilal Afzal, Javed Akram and Ibrahim Murad, will present a comprehensive plan in consultation with all stakeholders.

The participants proposed different suggestions to increase productivity and access to modern seed varieties and appreciated efforts of the CM for a good cotton crop.

The CM said the government would seek guidance and feedback from professors, researchers, and farmers to promote the farm sector.

Unfortunately, there was a lack of research in the agricultural sector, so research institutes need to take lead in conducting research, he said adding “we are lagging in the seed industry, as Uzbekistan which imported seeds from here was now achieving double cotton production”, the CM noted.

He asked all private and public sector agricultural universities to prepare their recommendations within seven days, and the ministerial committee would prepare a final action plan based on these recommendations.

The government would do everything to promote the agriculture sector capabilities of 1,500 PhDs, associated with this field.

Meanwhile, the treatment of an infant Abdullah, whose heart was outside the body, started at the Children’s Hospital Multan, on the directions of CM Naqvi.

A surgical team from Lahore’s Children’s Hospital thoroughly examined the newborn child. The surgeons confirmed that the infant’s heart was located outside the chest cavity, and a congenital heart defect with a hole was also identified. Following his condition’s initial care and stabilisation, the infant would be transferred to Lahore for further treatment.

Upon being informed through a news broadcast on Geo News, the CM had announced that the Punjab government would extend its support for treatment of Abdullah, a resident of Muzaffargarh.

Also, Mohsin Naqvi visited Nishtar Hospital-II projects in Multan and inspected various parts of the hospital including outdoor, under-construction emergency, waiting area, admin block and radiology department. He also inspected the pharmacy, operation theatres, CT scan, basement, inn and cafe. Secretary C&W and PD Nishtar-II gave a briefing about the project.

Later, the CM visited the Multan Institute of Kidney Diseases where he inquired patients and their attendants about the medical facilities being provided to them. He also inspected the newly constructed building of DHQ Hospital Multan and ordered to functionalise it soon.