Amendments to rules of business to create S Punjab Secretariat approved

LAHORE: Chief Minister Usman Buzdar chaired the 34th meeting of the provincial cabinet at his office here on Thursday.

The meeting approved amendments to rules of business, 2011 for setting up the Southern Punjab Secretariat. With these amendments, the secretaries of 16 different provincial departments will perform duties in the Southern Punjab Secretariat which will be administratively totally empowered. The residents of Southern Punjab will not have to travel to Lahore for the solution of their problems and all matters will be completed paperless in the new secretariat. Meanwhile, the cabinet rejected the proposal of tabulation of valuation table relating to new categorising of property tax and decided to extend the date of online registration of charities up to 15 October. It also approved amendments to Punjab E-Stamp Rules, 2016 for a refund of e-stamp papers; approved authorising the commissioners for a refund of stamp papers up to Rs500,000. Amendments to Punjab Sugar Factory (Control) Act, 1950 was given. The mills failing to start crushing, from the notified date of the crushing season can be fined by the government and mills would also be bound to write down the weight of sugarcane purchased by them along with price and date on the valid receipt. The farmers will be paid according to the notified rate with the obligation of payment through the bank. Due to these amendments, the crushing season will be started in time along with protecting the interest of the farmer.

The cabinet approved Punjab Housing and Town Planning Agency to start housing schemes across the province under PM Naya Pakistan Housing Programme; powers to motor vehicles officers under Section 120 of Motor Vehicles Ordinance, 1965 and amendment to Motor Vehicles Rules, 1969 to include loader rickshaws in it. The cabinet also approved the first Special Education Policy, 2019. This policy will cover the medical model to the social model. The government is credited to implement the first special education policy after a gap of 17 years.

The cabinet approved establishment of South Punjab Institute of Science and Technology, DG Khan and giving the status of the Jhang University to Lahore College for Women University Jhang sub-campus. The meeting constituted a ministerial committee to review the nomination of member legal of Punjab Environment Tribunal and decided to rationalise matters of Anti-Terrorism Courts having fewer cases and in the light of directions of Judge of Supreme Court; approval was granted to close six ATCs with fewer cases. The constitution of the executive committee of Punjab Heritage Foundation was approved along with amendments to Punjab Government Advertisement Policy, 2020.