QUETTA: The Balochistan cabinet has decided to establish new administrative sub-divisions in the province in view of its increasing population and formed a sub-committee of the cabinet which will be headed by Minister for Revenue Saleem Ahmed Khosa.

The decision in this regard was taken at a cabinet meeting which was presided over by the Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan Alyani here on Wednesday.

It was observed in the meeting that due to increasing population of the province, the administrative issues were increasing that needed establishment of new sub-divisions.

It was decided in the meeting that a senior member of the Board of Revenue, secretaries of law, services and general administration and a member at the divisional level would be included in the sub-committee of the cabinet to look after the administrative and other issues.

The provincial cabinet approved in its meeting the draft of the Balochistan Power Development Act, 2020, for integrating energy policy in the province, implementing programmes and projects for available energy resources in a better way and attracting the private sector’s investment in the energy sector.

While discussing the impact of Covid-19, the cabinet meeting approved the grant for National Response and Reliance Plan for coronavirus and National Equitable Education Programme.

The cabinet meeting also approved the suggestion of changing the names of irrigation department’s development schemes and the amendments to Balochistan Arts Council Act, 2018, to establish the board of the council.

The meeting also approved the procedure for allotment rules 2009 regarding allotment of official residence facility in Quetta. Under the amendment in the rules, an official resident could be allotted in the name of the daughter of a retired government employee. Earlier, it was not included in the allotment rules.

The cabinet also approved the Balochis­tan Judicial Academy Contributory Provi­dent Funds rules 2019 and Pension rules, 2019.

The cabinet while discussing issues rela­ting to the health department gave appro­val to ad-hoc and contract appointments of medical officers, lady medical officers, dental surgeons, staff nurses in the health department and appointments on specialist cadre posts and teacher cadre posts of medical colleges and teaching hospitals.

The meeting also gave approval for making functional eight teaching hospitals of the province. It also approved the hawkers’ welfare fund revised policy 2020.

Ministers, the parliamentary secretary on information, the chief secretary and other officials attended the meeting.

Published in Dawn, November 20th, 2020