LAHORE: The Punjab government has decided to disband the Sasti Roti Authority formed by former chief minister Shahbaz Sharif and hold an audit of the scheme so as to see irregularities, if any, fix the responsibility and punish the culprits, provincial minister for information Aslam Iqbal says.

Briefing the media on cabinet meeting and decisions, he said the provincial government had also approved a 13-member Punjab Local Government Finance Commission. The commission would be headed by the finance minister in order to devise the formula of provincial taxes.

Approval was given to increase fines for violation of traffic rules as well as adoption of different steps for ensuring traffic management in the light of Provincial Motor Vehicles Amendment Bill, 2019. “These increased fines would help better manage traffic in the province,” he said.

Ban on grade-1 to 4 slots lifted; raise in traffic fine approved

The meeting has also decided to lift ban on recruitment against vacant posts from grade one to four and the chief minister directed the departments to forward their demands for recruitment against these grades.

The chief minister would accord approval to the recruitments after reviewing them on case-to-case basis, he said.

The minister said the meeting was given a detailed briefing about anti-dengue measures in the province. “The government has been monitoring all possible hot spots and the local administration is being moved at each spot.”

The meeting decided to amend the table of registration fee of Registration Act, 1908 and the scope of e-stamping scheme would be further expanded after the amendments.

The meeting approved release of funds worth more than Rs60 million with regard to operations of Speedo buses from Bahawalpur to Lodhran. The meeting also granted approval to the draft of Punjab Demarcation, Numbering and Naming of Village and Neighbourhood Rules, 2019.

The chief minister directed the ministers to hold open courts in their respective districts to provide relief to the people and to control prices. The ministers have been asked to regularly hold meetings to control dengue in their districts.

He asked the ministers to review progress made on development projects and further directed that provincial ministers should visit hospitals, educational institutions, Arazi record centres, police stations, jails and other public places and submit reports to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).

Every possible step would be taken for bringing about ease in the lives of the people, Usman Buzdar was quoted as having said.

The chief minister further said that cabinet members should maintain a close liaison with the district administration and submit a fortnightly report to the CMO about the steps being taken for providing relief to the masses.

Proposals for further saving government resources should also be submitted and the ministers should also keep their doors open to public. Performance of provincial ministers would be regularly reviewed, warned the chief minister.

The meeting accorded approval to the appointment of Iftikhar Taj Mian as non-official member of management committee of Punjab Pension Fund.

Minutes of the previous (17th) cabinet meeting were also endorsed besides approval of decisions made in the 14th and 15th meetings of cabinet standing committee on finance and development.

FIRDOUS ASHIQ: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan called on the chief minister here on Tuesday and discussed matters of mutual interest, measures taken for providing relief to the masses and various welfare projects.

Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2019