Ramazan bazaars to sell up to 2kg sugar per head

LAHORE: Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar presided over the meeting of Punjab Cabinet at his office here Friday in which decision was made to sell up to two kilograms of sugar to an individual consumer in the Ramazan bazaars set up across the province. Food items relating to the upcoming festival of Eid will also be sold in the Ramazan bazaars from 21st Ramazan. Semolina, vermicelli and five additional food items will be provided on subsidised rates and the Punjab government will provide a subsidy of Rs20 million in this regard.

The cabinet meeting decided to end rebate by the Punjab government on the export of sugar and approval was also accorded to abolish subsidy on its export for strengthening the sugar price. The meeting approved fixing of aquifer tariff (water charges) at the rate of Rs1 per litre on water bottling and beverage companies using the groundwater.

This decision has been made in light of the Supreme Court directions. Wasa, local government, and irrigation department will issue notifications within their respective sphere of influence for collecting these charges. In the light of the Supreme Court directions, a separate account has been set up for the money collected under this head and a comprehensive mechanism will be devised for receiving and utilisation of water charges.

The Punjab Cabinet meeting approved changing the name of Fort Munro Development Authority as Koh-e-Suleman Development Authority and decided to expand the scope of this authority to the tribal areas of DG Khan and Rajanpur. For that purpose, necessary amendments would be made to the Act.

The cabinet was apprised of the amendments to the transfer policy of teachers of the schools education department and a detailed briefing was also given to the participants. In line with the cabinet decision, the parliamentary party will also be briefed about the e-transfer policy of the teachers. Adoption of necessary steps in the light of court directions was approved to regularise the work charge employees of Punjab Revenue Authority. It was also decided to amend the LDA laws with regard to the utilisation of land for marquees, marriage and banquet halls, and the meeting was directed to constitute a committee for amendments to the relevant laws.

The meeting approved amendments to Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1967 and expressed its satisfaction over the achievement of wheat procurement target. It also approved six monthly reports of 7th National Finance Commission Award for July-December 2016, January-June 2017 and July-December 2017. Annual audit reports of C&W, housing & public health engineering, irrigation, local bodies, and Infrastructure Development Authority Punjab for the year 2018-19 was also affirmed by the cabinet meeting.

These audit reports will be presented before the Punjab Assembly. The meeting also confirmed the decisions made in the 10th meeting of the Punjab Cabinet besides affirming the decisions of the 9th meeting of provincial cabinet committee for finance and development.

Addressing the meeting, the chief minister said that wheat farmers had been given full reward of their hard work and added that their rights had been fully protected by the Punjab government. He greeted the food minister and other officials concerned for achieving the wheat procurement target.