LAHORE: The provincial interim cabinet on Thursday approved rules and regulations for corporate farming under the CPEC project.

Under the plan, 127,000 acres of land would be made available for farming in five selected districts.

“Corporate farming will help in agricultural research, food security, and forest and livestock research. Land can be given for a maximum of 30 years for corporate farming and those who get land for farming will not get ownership rights,” the CM said.

Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi presided over the cabinet meeting which was also attended by IG Police Dr Usman Anwar and Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman.

Flour made part of essential commodities

It decided to include flour in the schedule of the Punjab Prevention of Speculation for Essential Commodity Act, 2021 to make it a part of the essential commodities.

The CM ordered the formation of a committee with a task to recommend a foolproof method of targeted flour subsidy. The cabinet also approved procuring wheat from Passco [Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation. The cabinet approved a reconstituted board of governors of the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Transplant Institute while the CM asked the ministers to conduct visits to resolve the artificial shortage and hoarding of petroleum products.

The meeting said recruitment should be made through the Punjab Public Service Commission to ensure merit in the food department.

The meeting further decided to constitute a new search committee for the appointment of vice-chancellors of government universities.

Extension of the contract period of staff of the Provincial Quality Control Board in Punjab and de-notification of political appointments in departments and autonomous bodies affiliated with the P&D Board was approved as well.

Approval was given to restore the lapsed funds for the payment of honorarium to the Afternoon School Programme staff for the academic year 2020-21. The meeting also reviewed the postponement of the recruitment process in new administrative units in Punjab.

The huddle approved Rs1 billion for the assistance of police martyrs’ heirs.

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2023