with commitment and dedication for the welfare of the people.
He said the personal efforts of chief minister for implementation of Pakistan-China economic corridor were commendable.
Those who called on the chief minister included Secretary Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan Ch Muhammad Maqsood Ahmed, Vice-President Punjab Shah Abbas Mian, Additional Secretary Sanaullah Zahid, Finance Secretary Sheharyar Iqbal, Members Executive Punjab Badar Munir Malik, Fouzia Sultana Sheikh, Abdul Hassan Arif Agha, Babar Bilal, Members Executive Sindh Qazi Abdul Hameed Siddiqui, Muhammad Khalil Dogar, Anayatullah Morio and other office-bearers.
Minerals: Shahbaz Sharif presided over a meeting, here Monday, which decided to modernise Minerals Department.
He approved institutional reforms in Minerals Department and directed that a steering committee be set up for presenting recommendations for reorganisation, capacity-building and reforms in Minerals Department.
Addressing the meeting, the chief minister said Minerals Department could play a very important role in strengthening the economy of the province.
He directed that planning should be made to run the department professionally on corporate model. He directed that resource mapping of the mineral reserves in Punjab be conducted in accordance with international standard.
He said Minerals Department would have to give up obsolete system and work in an active manner. He directed that a scientific system of leasing of mines should be adopted. He said a comprehensive mechanism should be evolved for the monitoring of licencing system of mines and improvement should be made in rules and regulations regarding leasing of mines.
The chief minister said there was a vast scope of local and foreign investment in minerals sector in Punjab and it was the basic responsibility of the department to provide maximum facilities to the investors. He said the department would have to play an active role for providing maximum facilities to investors. He said that safety measures for the workers associated with mining sector were of vital importance.
Shahbaz Sharif directed that training of experts recruited in mining sector should be arranged abroad. He said the model of Punjab Mineral Company be replicated in other institutions of the department and he would personally monitor the measures taken for the improvement of Minerals Department and review progress in this regard on monthly basis. He expressed his displeasure to Secretary Minerals for non-implementation of some decisions and said that serious efforts had not been made for human resource development and capacity-building of the department. He ordered immediate establishment of Coal Pricing Board.