Punjab Local Government Act 2019 approved

LAHORE:Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar presided over the provincial cabinet meeting at his office here on Friday in which Punjab Local Government Act 2019 was approved.

Besides, the Punjab cabinet also approved draft of Water Act 2019 through which a water resources commission will be established under the chair of the chief minister. This water resources commission will ensure getting the license for getting water.

The chief minister directed to hold survey for the redress of damages occurred due to recent rains so that provision of financial aid could be decided. Punjab Witness Protection Act 2018 was also approved and a witness protection board would be constituted under this Act. The meeting approved the release of Rs10 billion for the government guarantee and debt authority in favour of Punjab Thermal Power Pvt Ltd. Amendment to Punjab Electronic Stamp Papers Rules 2016 was also approved.

Meanwhile, special audit reports 2016-17 of Auditor General of Pakistan about the Punjab government accounts were also presented before the cabinet. After the cabinet approval, these reports would be presented before the Punjab Assembly. On the occasion, approval was accorded to give the status of Tehsil Koh-e-Suleman to the tribal area of DG Khan and decision was also made to allocate five seats for the students belonging to the tribal areas of DG Khan and Rajanpur in Ghazi Medical College, DG Khan.

The meeting decided to close down South Punjab Forest Company. The meeting approved the appointment of the board of directors’ members of Parks & Horticulture Authority, Faisalabad and reduced rates scheme under Punjab Sales Tax on Services Act 2012 was approved as well.

The cabinet meeting approved the financing of population welfare programme Punjab 2017-20 through public sector development programme and funds were also approved for devolved vertical programmes of health and population welfare sectors. The meeting approved temporary regulations 2019 under regulatory steps for immediate eradication of dengue disease. The meeting approved Punjab Animal Health Bill 2019 and amendments to benevolent fund rules were approved as well for reconsideration of eligibility criteria of monthly grants and increase in grant money. The meeting approved to transfer land for 720-megawatt Karot Power Projectand affairs pertaining to the royalty of liquid petroleum gas according to the market value of LPG were also approved.

The Punjab cabinet approved the establishment of Punjab University of Technology in Mandi Bahauddin. Similarly, amendment to the Second Schedule of Services Act 2012 of Punjab Sales Tax was approved along with the approval of the draft of water Act 2019. Under this act, a water resources commission will be set up with the chief minister as its chairman and pumping out of the water without a licence would be banned. Punjab Cabinet approved Punjab Local Government Act 2019, Punjab Medical Teaching Institutions Reforms Act, 2019 and Ramazan Package, 2019 through which 309 Ramazan Bazaars would be set up across the province and around 2,000 Dastarkhawan would be arranged during the month of Ramazan.

The cabinet meeting accorded approval to appoint the new president of Bank of Punjab and an increase in salary of the engineering staff of the Irrigation Department was given the principle approval. The enhancement in salaries’ case will be presented before the cabinet committee on finance. The chief minister said that more subsidies would be given, as compared to the past, to provide substantial relief to the common man and the whole team will be proactively engaged during Ramazan. The essential items will be available in Ramazan Bazaars on subsidised rates, he added. He said that provincial ministers, advisers and special assistants should visit health, special education and other institutions so that these institutions could be further improved. Similarly, ministers and other representatives will also visit wheat procurement centres.

The meeting approved 34-points agenda and minutes of 7th cabinet meeting were also endorsed along with the approval of decisions of 4th, 5th and 6th meetings of the provincial cabinet committee on finance. The next cabinet meeting will be held after 15 days.