RAWALPINDI: The Punjab cabinet which met for the first time in the garrison city on Tuesday with caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi in the chair approved a number of schemes for Rawalpindi, including the Safe City project.

The caretaker chief minister expressed the hope that the project would help reduce crime in the garrison city. The meeting also gave go ahead to Kutchery Chowk Remodeling Project and approved funds for the restoration of three metro bus stations of the Rawalpindi-Islamabad metro bus service that were burnt in the May 9 violence.

The meeting decided to construct a general hospital and TB hospital in Murree and directed the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) to ensure that the Ring Road project should be of high standard.

The meeting was informed about the progress on Daducha Dam and Leh Nullah Expressway projects.

The provincial cabinet decided to make the nominee of the station commander and Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry president members of the RDA governing body.

The Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education department informed the cabinet that the total estimated cost of the scheme titled ‘Establishment of Hospital Management Information and Queue Management System (PACS)’ in hospitals might be raised from Rs400 million to Rs1,699.459 million and additional funds Rs1,299.459 million would likely be provided through inter-sectoral re-appropriation.

The caretaker cabinet also approved the appointment of presiding officers in the district consumer courts in Bahawalnagar, Faisalabad and Lahore.

Under Section 26(2) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2006, the presiding officers of the district consumer courts are to be appointed by the government in consultation with the Lahore High Court.

It also gave approval to operationalise Cadet College in Khanpur area of Rahimyar Khan and upgradation and renovation of Central Library Bahawalpur.

It also ratified the decisions of the seventh session of the Cabinet Standing Committee on Legal Affairs and Privatisation.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2023