LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz chaired the 17th cabinet meeting on Tuesday and approved a programme for mass weddings across the province.
The project, which will support group marriages of 3,000 girls from underprivileged families in Punjab, includes a financial grant of Rs1 lakh for each bride, to be provided via ATM cards. In addition, 13 essential items, including furniture, clothing and dinner sets, will be gifted. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz directed an expansion of the mass marriage programme.
The cabinet also approved the allocation of 100,000 acres of land to landless farmers on lease of three to five years for temporary cultivation across Punjab. During the meeting, an e-bus service scheme was also approved. In the first phase, 27 buses will be introduced and 1.2 MW solar panels will be installed in bus parking lots for charging. A total of 680 e-buses are expected to be operational in Punjab by the end of the year. The chief minister also sought a plan for an electric taxi service in Lahore and ordered strict monitoring of flour and chicken prices across the province.
In a briefing, it was disclosed that 170,000 farmers in Punjab have received Kisan cards and 267,000 cards have been issued. Additionally, 1.1 million farmers applied for the Kisan card and 1.2 million applications were received for the Green Tractor Scheme. The scrutiny of 700,000 applicants for the scheme has been completed.
Approval was also granted for the transfer of funds to the housing department to construct 839 houses under the New Pakistan Housing Scheme in Raiwind, Chiniot and Sargodha.
Furthermore, a five-year age relaxation for promotions to Inspector, Sub-Inspector and Assistant Sub-Inspector posts was approved. The annual repair of the Punjab government’s helicopter was also sanctioned. The cabinet approved the transfer of land in Sheikhupura for oil storage and other purposes to Pakistan State Oil.
Other key decisions included an agreement between the Board of Revenue and Punjab Bank for tax collection on immovable property transfers through an e-stamping system. Several appointments were approved, including the reappointment of Punjab Health Initiatives Management Company’s Board of Directors and the appointment of new directors.
A release of Rs1.7 billion was sanctioned for purchasing equipment and furniture for revamping tertiary care hospitals. Development projects in five major hospitals were approved for inclusion in the Annual Development Programme.
The cabinet also approved the reconstitution of the Board of Commissioners of the Health Care Commission and the transfer of shares from the irrigation department to the Punjab Power Development Company Limited. The Punjab Forensic Act 2007 was repealed and replaced by the Punjab Forensic Science Act 2024. The meeting approved various other initiatives, including the renewal of contracts, supplementary grants for the Wildlife Protection Force and an extension of family welfare programmes.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz expressed dissatisfaction with the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) and Traffic Engineering and Planning Agency (TEPA) over delays in the completion of the Lahore Development Plan. She had launched the plan to repair and rehabilitate the roads in the provincial capital and set a three-month deadline for its completion.
During a progress review meeting, the chief minister criticised the engineering wing of the LDA and TEPA for underperformance and gave them a three-day deadline to improve the cleanliness and general condition of Lahore’s streets and markets.
Citing a recent accident caused by a sinkhole, she questioned who would be responsible for such incidents and warned that no potholes or sinkholes should be visible on the main roads. She instructed the LDA DG to mobilise road maintenance teams immediately.
The chief minister also took strong action against the Metropolitan Corporation of Lahore (MCL) and the district administration for failing to remove encroachments from city markets. She ordered an indiscriminate campaign to clear 18 major markets of illegal encroachments and directed that dedicated motorcycle parking areas be set up in each market.
In response to the chief minister’s directives, DG LDA Tahir Farooq convened a meeting to focus on road patchwork and maintenance. The repair of potholes across 302 km of main highways under LDA control, including major areas like Gulberg, Johar Town and Model Town, will be prioritised. Geo-tagging and strict quality control were mandated for the works.
On the National Disaster Awareness Day, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz emphasised the importance of planning and awareness to mitigate the damage caused by natural disasters. She called for improved prevention measures and early warning systems to protect against calamities. “Every individual has a role to play in reducing the devastating effects of natural disasters,” she said.
The Punjab government, she added, is utilising all available resources to ensure safety and rescue operations during such events.
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