Punjab cabinet meeting proposes complete lockdown before Eid

LAHORE: The 43rd cabinet meeting held under Chief Minister Usman Buzdar at his office here on Thursday was briefed on prevailing corona situation, Ramazan package and wheat procurement drive.

The cabinet expressed its concern over the rising number of corona cases and death rate and showed its reservations over non-implementation of SOPs by the citizens. It decided to further strict restrictions in cities with a more positive ratio to save the lives of the citizens.

The provincial ministers presented a consensus proposal to enforce a complete lockdown before Eid in Lahore and other cities with more corona ratio. A special cabinet committee will finalise recommendations after reviewing proposal of complete lockdown to submit the same to NCOC. It was decided to increase the number of oxygen beds and ventilators on an emergent basis along with the adoption of beds to maintain the supply of oxygen. The proposal of discontinuing the supply of oxygen to industries using the oxygen was also brought under consideration. The meeting decided to increase the number of vaccination centres while the federal government will also be approached for the import of oxygen. The meeting was briefed that 26,338 were tested while 2,674 new cases were reported during the last 24 hours. The positive cases’ ratio is more than 8 per cent in 23 districts and the number of patients has been tremendously increased in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Multan and Gujranwala.

Meanwhile, 11.25 lakh persons have been vaccinated and a stock of 8 lakh and 65 thousand vaccine doses is available. Around 2,220 elderly citizens have also been vaccinated at their homes while another 60 thousand have been vaccinated during the last 24 hours. The cabinet expressed satisfaction with the wheat procurement drive and it was told that 69 per cent of the wheat crop has been cut and around 18 lakh metric ton wheat has been procured by the Punjab government. Sufficient wheat stock is available and action will continue against illegal hoarding of wheat. It was also decided to take administrative steps to stabilise the flour price. The meeting was briefed that more than 300 Ramazan bazaars have been established in the province where a ten kg flour bag is available at Rs375 and sugar is sold at Rs65 per kg. The meeting endorsed rules of business for the south Punjab secretariat and approved recommendations of the cabinet standing committee for legislation. The secretaries appointed in the south Punjab secretariat will be empowered. The cabinet approved to give the status of tehsil to Chowk Sarwar Shaheed in the Muzaffargarh district along with the approval of amendments in Punjab Border Military Police and Baloch Levi Service Rules 2009. Under this amendment, Baloch Levi could be posted in the Rajanpur district. Punjab Road Safety Authority Act, 2020 was also approved to improve the drivers’ training standard and the safety of vehicles. Approval was granted to convert Lahore Transport Company into Punjab Transport Company for province-wise operations. The meeting also approved amendments in Motor Vehicles Rules, 1969 along with the approval of amendments in Section 2(S), 21 and 38 of Punjab Wildlife (Protection, Preservation, Conservation and Management) Amendment Act, 2007.

The Punjab Aab e Pak Authority (Appointment and Conditions of Service Rules, 2020) and lease of Jinnah Park Rawalpindi was approved while the value of the lease will be determined by the District Price Assessment Committee and Provincial Price Assessment Committee. Further steps were approved in the light of court decisions about Lawyers

Cooperative Housing Society in Bahawalpur.