LAHORE: The cabinet’s standing committee on legislative business on Friday approved the draft of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Act 2021 besides amendments to the Wildlife Act.

Chairing a meeting of the standing committee, Punjab Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Basharat Raja said the special persons would be empowered with the legislation.

The cabinet committee approved shifting of endangered birds from first schedule to third schedule under the Wildlife Act. The law minister said this decision would help protect endangered birds.

The committee sanctioned the advice for livestock department to enter into an agreement with the Balochistan University. Under an MoU, he said, the Punjab government would help the Balochistan University in preparation of vaccine and other research developments.

It constituted sub-committees for further deliberations on establishment of the Kohsar Development Authority Act 2021 and setting up regional health authorities under the local government act. “Draft acts will be approved after the recommendations from the respective sub-committees,” Mr Raja said.

The cabinet committee approved the decision of declaring District Council Rawalpindi as sister local government body of Yiling Municipality of China. The law minister directed that the agreement for declaring Rawalpindi district council as a sister local government body of the Chinese town be implemented in letter and spirit. He said the district council would benefit from the Yiling municipality’s expertise on developing water reservoirs.

The committee approved appointment of non-official members for the Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board. However, the committee deferred the agenda item on upper age limit under the Employees Social Security Ordinance.

Punjab Public Prosecution Minister Chaudhry Zaheeruddin and administrative secretaries concerned attended the meeting.

Published in Dawn, February 19th, 2022