Rs5b for housing scheme approved

LAHORE: Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar presided over the meeting of the provincial cabinet at his office here Friday.

The meeting approved release of funds worth Rs5 billion to Punjab Housing and Town Planning Agency for Prime Minister’s Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme. The meeting deferred the proposal of reviewing the fare of Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro Bus Service. It was also decided to abolish the Punjab Irrigation and Drainage Authority (PIDA) Act, 1997 and to set up Khal Panchayat Authority. The Khal Panchayat Act, 2019 was also approved by the cabinet. This Khal Panchayat will consist of farmers.

The meeting decided to open the wheat procurement campaign and the Punjab government will purchase wheat from every farmer who will bring wheat to the procurement centre and the previous procedure has also been revised to facilitate the farmers. The chief minister said that every grain of wheat would be purchased during the wheat procurement campaign and farmers would be given every facility at the procurement centre. The farmers’ rights will be fully protected and the complete reward of their hard work will be given. The meeting decided to give assistance package to farmers of areas affected by rains and hailstorms.

The chief minister directed the SMDR to give final shape to the assistance package at the earliest. The meeting expressed concern over surfacing of a polio case in Lahore and decided to take steps on war-footing for the eradication of polio.

Amendments to Rule 12 (A) and 12 (B) of police award of compensation rules, 1989 were also approved in the meeting. This amendment would help to provide more facilities to the heirs of police martyrs and the amendment to family claim policy was also approved. The meeting approved the demands of Food Department in supplementary budget grants for the financial year 2018-19. It was also decided to set up awaste management company in DG Khan and the establishment of the same was approved by the cabinet. The meeting approved amendment to Waqf properties administration rules, 2002 and the draft of guidelines for the development of hydrocarbon seepages and the draft of sentencing law. The meeting endorsed the minutes of the 8th and 9th meeting of Punjab Cabinet along with the endorsement of decisions made in 7th and 8th meetings of cabinet’s standing committee on finance and development. Provincial ministers, advisers, special assistants, chief secretary, and others attended the meeting.