LAHORE: The Punjab cabinet on Monday approved the procedure for allotment of flats in Lahore Development Authority (LDA) City Naya Pakistan Apartments under Section 19 of The Management and Transfer of Properties by Development Authorities Act 2014.

The 41stcabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Usman Buzdar authorised the LDA to enter into an agreement with the Bank of Punjab for the project, as 4,000 apartments would be constructed in the first phase. One flat would cost around Rs2.7 million. A 50 per cent quota will be reserved for the public, 20pc for provincial government employees, 10pc for federal government employees and another 20pc will be allocated to LDA officials. The chief minister also directed to reserve a special quota for journalists and lawyers.

The meeting approved upgrading of 11,000 low-grade employees of the Civil Secretariat and decided to promote drivers, auto electricians, mechanics and dispatch riders to the next grade.

Approval was also accorded to a 200-bed mother and child hospital at the venue of the old grain market warehouse in Multan along with the release of Rs500m for it.The meeting approved establishment of two cement plants in Dera Ghazi Khan and Mianwali and the CM directed to further expedite the issuance of No-Objection Certificates to pending applications for more such plants.

Upgrade of low-grade Civil Secretariat workers; mother, child hospital; cement plants also approved among other projects

The cabinet also decided to give health professional and special healthcare allowance to the doctors of the population welfare department and constitute a high-level committee to reconsider the regularisation scheme of katchi abadis with the direction to submit comprehensive recommendations. The law department was directed to review matters pertaining to Punjab Consolidation of Holdings Ordinance 1960 to submit recommendations for early completion of the consolidation process.

Approval was also accorded to the establishment of a provincial drug monitoring team and draft Punjab Hepatitis Rules. Amendments to the Pakistan Travel Agency Act 1976 and draft of Punjab Museum Act 2021 were also approved along with approval to terms and conditions for the posts of registrar and controller of examinations of government universities. Approval to amend the Punjab Police Department (Ministerial Posts) Rules 2017 was given for a change in the eligibility criterion of stenographers.

The meeting decided to enhance the registration and renewal fee of private wildlife breeding farms and approved an amendment to the Forest Act and Punjab Urban and Peri-urban Forest Policy 2020. Similarly, the cabinet authorised the Infrastructure Development Authority Punjab to work on development projects in Islamabad on a fast track. It was further approved to implement the Medical Teachings Institutions Act in Mayo Hospital and King Edward Medical College along with the approval to amend the Punjab Medical Teaching Institutions (Reforms) Amendment Act 2020.

The cabinet constituted a committee to review and submit its recommendations relating to the leasing out of state land to Multan Gymkhana. The meeting was also briefed about the agriculture department’s performance and a ministerial committee was constituted for facilitating farmers. This committee, comprising agri experts, will submit its final recommendations to the cabinet.

Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2021