Grievances of people should be addressed at all costs: Punjab CM

LAHORE: Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has said that grievances of people should be addressed at any cost.

He was presiding over a meeting regarding revenue affairs at his office here on Wednesday. He directed for resolving people’s problems regarding revenue. Public interest should keep in mind in every phase of legislation. Attention should be given for making the transfer of land transparent, the CM said and added that the scope of land record centres should be extended to all the areas of the province. He said people’s problems will be reduced by increasing the number of land record centres. He said matters regarding land transfer in urban areas are being reviewed. Minister for Law Muhammad Basharat Raja, Minister for Revenue Malik Muhammad Anwar, Chief Secretary, SMBR, Principal Secretary to CM, Advocate General Punjab, officers of Punjab Land Record Authority and officers concerned attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Usman Buzdar on Wednesday accorded formal approval to e-transfer policy for teachers of the Punjab Schools Education Department. A meeting was held under the chair of Punjab Chief Minister at his office here.

Addressing the meeting, the CM said that new policy would save time of the teachers besides ensuring transparency as every posting/transfer would be made purely on merit. He said that teachers would also register their complaints in case of any problem and the service delivery would be improved with the new system.

The CM said that teachers would not have to visit the offices for transfer after the enforcement of e-transfer policy. Similarly, cleanliness arrangements around schools should be ensured. The CM was given a briefing about e-transfer policy and the meeting was informed that certified data of teachers have been collected.

Provincial Minister for Schools Education Murad Raas, Principal Secretary to CM, Secretary Schools and other attended the meeting. Also, on the directions of Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, benevolent fund grants for the Punjab government employees have been increased and a notification has been issued by S&GAD department in this regard.

According to details, scholarships for the children of Punjab government employees have been enhanced. A sum of Rs 20,000 will be given as stipend to students from primary to secondary per annum and the students of higher secondary schools will be given Rs 50,000 educational scholarship every year.

Similarly, more than three times increase has been made the marriage grant of government employees'' children. The amount of marriage grant has been increased from Rs 40,000and Rs 50,000 to Rs 150,000 for provincial employees.

The funeral grant has also been enhanced in case of death. In case of death of a government employee, the heirs will be given Rs 50,000 funeral grant. Meanwhile, the monthly grant of widow of government employee has been increased from Rs 5,000, Rs 9,000 and Rs 12,000 to Rs 10,000, Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000. The widow of government employee will be given monthly grant for life. The new rates of benevolent fund grants will be applicable from May 10 while increase in marriage and funeral grant will be implemented after May 10.