LAHORE: Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, in a meeting on Sunday, decided to give the land of the labour department in the Defence Housing Authority to COMSATS for setting up its campus.

A statement in this regard claims that ‘30pc of children of labour and workers would get free education in the campus’.

The meeting also decided to establish a Labour Tower in Lahore and the CM directed the officials to review the proposal of setting up hostels for the labourers and industrial workers.

The meeting decided to turn the Punjab Employees Social Security Institution and the Punjab Workers Welfare Funds into smart organisations.

CM gives nod to establish Labour Tower in Lahore

Mr Buzdar directed the authorities concerned to take measures for curbing child labour. He said the social security hospitals were being constructed in Taunsa, Sargodha and Faisalabad whereas the cardiology department had been established in the Khawaja Farid Social Security Hospital in Multan for the labourers.

The labour department secretary gave a briefing to the meeting on performance of the department and measures taken for providing facilities to the workers.

Provincial Minister Labour Ansar Majeed Niazi, the head of Special Monitoring Unit and other officials concerned attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, Adviser to Prime Minister for Commerce and Investment Abdul Razzaq Dawood called on the chief minister and decided in principle to set up a state-of-the-art International Expo Centre in Punjab.

The CM’s spokesperson said the city, where the international expo centre would be established, would be finalised with consultations among federal and provincial authorities.

The chief minister asked the departments concerned to begin taking necessary steps for the project.

The meeting also discussed promotion of cooperative agricultural farming in Punjab and reviewed the proposal of setting up of a plug-and-play centre in Multan for the stitching industry.

CM Buzdar asserted that incentives would be offered to the farmers and that Punjab would be turned into a model region for cotton production. He said an increase in cotton production would further develop the textile and other related industries.

He said the government would take all possible measures for the development and betterment of agriculture and industrial sectors.

Provincial ministers Hashim Jawan Bakht, Mian Aslam Iqbal, the principal secretary to the chief minister, administrative secretaries of industries, Planning and Development departments, the Punjab Board of Investment and Trade chief executive officer and other officials attended the meeting.

Published in Dawn, May 24th, 2021