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Thursday March 28, 2024

Workers minimum wages increased to Rs16,500 in Punjab

By Our Correspondent
March 09, 2019

LAHORE: The Punjab government Friday decided to increase the minimum wages of workers from Rs15,000 to Rs16,500 per month.

The decision was taken in a meeting presided over by Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar at his office here. Performance of Labour Department and steps taken for the industrial workers’ welfare were reviewed in detail.

The chief minister ordered for establishing social security hospitals in Rahimyar Khan and Sargodha as well. All the social security hospitals would be made centres of excellence through a phased programme, he added. It was also decided to introduce automation system in social security hospitals.

The chief minister hoped that this would facilitate patients in getting treatment and patients’ medical record would also be properly maintained. The proposal of providing free treatment facilities to retired workers in social security hospitals was also discussed.

The CM also approved the programme of issuing special labour cards to the industrial workers so that they could make purchases on subsidised rates. The meeting also discussed a proposal of giving a special discount in providing government services through labour cards. The chief minister said that work should be completed at the earliest for launching the labour cards scheme.

The launch of labour cards was a praiseworthy step of the PTI government, aimed at welfare of workers' community, he added. The meeting was informed that labour colonies were being constructed in different districts as allotment in the colonies of Lahore, Nankana Sahib and Multan would be launched soon.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar presided over a meeting at his office here Friday in which progress made on the shelter homes project was reviewed and it was decided to construct shelter homes in hospitals as well.

The chief minister announced that shelter homes project would also be started in DHQ hospitals besides major hospitals of the provincial metropolis. He directed the secretary health to identify suitable places in hospitals for the purpose and submit a report. The government would welcome the cooperation of the philanthropists for constructing shelter homes in hospitals, he added.

Usman Buzdar said the facility of a secure stay would be available to the attendants of the patients in hospitals and five shelter homes would be linked with the nearest hospitals in Lahore. He said that the construction of shelter homes would be mandatory in new hospital projects. Punjab shelter homes authority has been established and the draft act has also been prepared in this regard, he added.

Regional boards will also be constituted for the implementation of the project at the regional level. The construction of three shelter homes will be completed by the mid of next month at Railway Station, Data Darbar and vegetable market areas in Lahore.

The chief minister directed that establishment of dispensary should also be reviewed in five shelter homes being constructed in Lahore. The shelter homes project is a praiseworthy initiative of the PTI government for providing much-needed shelter to the people who were forced to sleep in the open because of their haplessness. In fact, serving the impecunious strata is the pivot of our politics, he added. There is no example of showing such benevolence towards the poorest of the poor during the previous tenures. Working for the welfare of humanity is a priority agenda of the government, he said.

The welfare projects like shelter homes will materialise the Prime Minister’s dream of transforming Pakistan as a true welfare state. It is our responsibility to look after the wretched of the soil and Islam has also taught about showing good behaviour and kindness towards the disfranchised segments of the society, the chief minister concluded. Lahore Commissioner briefed about the progress made on the shelter homes.