Nonstop disbursement of funds: Digital funding mechanism being introduced: minister

LAHORE: Punjab Finance Minister Hashim Jawan Bakht said that the finance department was introducing digital funding mechanism for uninterrupted disbursement of funds to short-term completed schemes.

Under the system, all short term completed schemes included in the annual development programme can be funded immediately within a period of one year. Funds will be provided on priority basis for sewerage, clean water supply and communication and works schemes.

The minister while presiding over 67th meeting of the Cabinet Standing Committee on Finance and Development held at the Chief Minister's House Monday said the recruitment on permanent basis will be done in accordance with new pension rules.

The meeting was attended by Provincial Minister for Industry and Commerce Mian Aslam Iqbal, Chief Secretary Punjab, Chairman Planning and Development Board and Secretary Finance and secretaries of all departments concerned. More than 35 recommendations were made by various departments in the meeting. The committee approved extension of appointment of Chairman Punjab Revenue Authority due to excellent performance of Chairman Zainal Abidin. The meeting approved the allocation of funds on emergency needs to protect agricultural lands and villages near rivers from river erosion. The meeting also approved the amendment in the third clause of the notification regarding special allowance for govt employees of the finance dept.

Under the amendment, the govt has declared eligible to receive 25 percent allowance to all regular employees of the public universities fulfilling the conditions from Grade 1 to 19 as announced in the provincial budget.

Further, the civil defense dept permitted to recruit 84 seats of Grade 1-15, higher education dept 30,000 employees from grade 1 to 15 and the Literacy and Non-Formal Education dept to fill the vacancies in grades 1 to 16. Further, recruitment of male and female educators was also approved.

The meeting also approved establishment of public school (excellence) for boys and girls in Sulemanki. The demand of recruitment of non-medical staff from grade 5 to 15 in all the teaching institutes of the specialised health and medical education dept was also approved. The meeting approved the request of Planning and Development Board of inclusion of the Monitoring and Evaluation Scheme of Development Projects as part of the annual development programme.