LAHORE: The Punjab caretaker cabinet on Thursday rejected the proposal to impose agricultural income tax on owners of five-acre land.

The 18th provincial cabinet meeting, presided over by Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi, decided to maintain the stamp duty rate at one per cent and approved amendments to the First Schedule of the Stamp Act 1899. Amendments to the Sales Tax on Services Act, 2012 were also approved, abolishing all taxes and duties on IT business, education, and training in Punjab.

The cabinet approved the extension of contracts for employees of the hepatitis and infection control programme, as well as the provincial TB control programme.

Various matters related to the Universal Health Insurance Programme in Punjab were also approved. Additionally, the extension of contracts for 605 employees of the Directorate General of Literacy & Non-Formal Basic Education was approved.

In terms of vehicle registration fees, a one per cent reduction was approved for vehicles ranging from 1500cc to 2000cc in Punjab, aligning them with the fees in Islamabad.

Regarding mining, the cabinet approved the revision of royalty rates for limestone and argillaceous clay in large-scale mining operations. To reduce subsidies in the transport department, a non-fare revenue generation model was approved, facilitating commercial activities at metro bus and orange line train stations.

Permission was granted to operationalise the Maj Gen Sheikh Al Mur bin Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum Gynae Hospital in the Gulab Wala area of 18 Hazari tehsil of Jhang. The cabinet approved the grant implementation for the hospital and included the scheme in the annual development programme.

Additionally, the establishment of a council for the rights of persons with disabilities (PWDs) was approved.

Published in Dawn, June 23rd, 2023