PA to hold budget session in hotel over pandemic

LAHORE:The Punjab government Wednesday approved holding of the budget session of provincial assembly in a hotel in the wake of covid-19 pandemic from the already allocated funds for the assembly businesses.

The approval was given in the 36th meeting of the Cabinet Standing Committee for Finance headed by Punjab Finance Minister Hashim Jawan Bakht. The meeting was attended by the adviser to Chief Minister Dr Salman Shah, Secretary Finance Abduallah Sumbal, Chairman Planning and Development Hamid Yaqoob Sheikh and other officials of the department concerned.The meeting also approved changing the name of Civil Hospital Bahawalpur to Victoria Hospital Bahawalpur. The tax exemption to the cinemas was also extended to June 30. However, the meeting rejected the permission and allocation of the funds for the treatment of livestock dairy development department doctor and constable of IG office abroad. The minister observed that that when the liver transplant facility was available in Punjab Kidney and Liver Institute then why the permission for getting treatment from abroad sought. He asked for checking the reasons why the PKLI was not working in its full capacity. He said treatment from abroad was extra burden on the provincial kitty.

Furthermore, the minister also rejected the planning and development department demand for allowing the utility allowance to the Grade-20 and above officers. He observed that the government would not give any further privileges to already privileged class. He asked the Planning and Development Chairman that such proposals should not be brought in the meeting in the future. The minister stressed the need of following the covid-19 SOPs while holding the budget session in private hotel, besides checking the body temperature of the members before entering the hall for session.