LAHORE: The Punjab chief minister on Saturday directed the cooperative department to launch an interest-free tractor scheme for farmers in Barani areas (rain-fed belt), besides providing them with loans on a priority basis for promotion of livestock.
At a meeting held to review the department’s performance at his office, Chief Minister Usman Buzdar was given a detailed briefing on the 24 amendments introduced after 96 years in the Cooperative Societies Act 1925, to harmonise it with the present needs.
The meeting decided the land record of the cooperative department’s housing societies would be computerised, while the posts lying vacant in the Punjab Provincial Cooperative Bank be filled.
Mr Buzdar directed the department to chalk out a workable plan for the use of its commercial lands.
Issues direction for providing them with loans for promotion of livestock
The meeting also reviewed a proposal for setting up a commercial parking plaza on the four-kanal piece of land at the Regal Chowk, besides using the retrieved land of the cooperative department for tourism purposes.
The CM was briefed that 36 properties of the cooperative department worth Rs60 billion had been retrieved, while it will present its 112 valuable properties for their better use.
It was also told that the work on the auction of commercial properties is in process.
Buzdar was told that 21 ‘Farm Services Centres’ were being reopened in Punjab for the convenience of farmers.
The meeting was further informed that the ‘Guzara Forest Cooperative Scheme’ will be revived in Murree, Kahuta and Kotli Sattian. It was informed that so far the department recovered 98.74 per cent of the Rs1.53 billion loan from defaulters.
It was told that Geo-tagging of 232 housing societies will also be done, while a biometric system was being installed in the cooperative department housing societies for the prevention of fraud.
Transaction Monitoring System would be implemented in the Punjab Provincial Cooperative Bank, the meeting was informed.
Provincial law minister Raja Muhammad Basharat, principal secretary to CM, secretary cooperative and other concerned officials were also present.
Published in Dawn, January 23rd, 2022
