LAHORE: The Punjab cabinet has decided to start a registration campaign for all vehicles and fix speed limit for motorcyclists to 60km per hour across the province.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz presided over the 22nd provincial cabinet meeting on Tuesday in which 91 agenda points were discussed. It approved an amendment to the laws for the inspection and certification of motorcycles after 12 months.

The cabinet also approved the first Punjab Hindu Marriage Act, Registration Rules 2024. Emergency measures were stressed to increase cotton production and address the decline in sugarcane production due to climate change.

The Punjab Asaan Karobar Finance scheme and CM Punjab Asaan Business Card were approved. The meeting decided to provide interest-free loans up to Rs30m for Asaan Karobar. The CM announced to provide free land for the Asaan Karobar Scheme. A target of 100,000 business start-ups in Punjab was set up. Charging stations for e-vehicles across Punjab would be set up in the province.

Cabinet gives nod to Rs30m loan, free land for business and Punjab Hindu Marriage Act

The cabinet rejected the decision to change the name of Gaddafi Stadium. It decided to undertake immediate steps to increase the number of laptops from 40,000 along with providing Honhaar scholarships to second-year and third-year students.

The meeting approved increasing the number of Kisan cards from 500,000 to 750,000. It also approved an increase in the cash limit of Kisan cards to 30pc. Farmers have made purchases of Rs46bn from Kisan cards, it was informed.

During the meeting, it was told that the supply of 9,000 green tractors to farmers across Punjab had been completed.

The cabinet approved the ‘Punjab Chief Minister Special Initiative for Dialysis Programme’, while funds for dialysis were increased from Rs700,000 to Rs10,00,000. Approval was given to establish a special court to decide property-related matters for overseas Pakistanis. The CM directed to take stern action against the issuance of fake NoC to a foreign exploring company.

Admission policy of public private sector medical dental colleges for the session 2024-25 was approved. In the meeting, it was decided to allocate 30 seats for Islamabad as per the directions of the prime minister. Supplementary grant were approved for organising CPA Asia and South East Asia Regional Conference in Punjab.

Approval was given to increase the seed money of Journalist Support Fund along with increasing the amount allocated for financial assistance to the needy journalists. Approval was given to Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cancer Treatment and Research Act 2024.The cabinet approved shifting of property tax valuation system from rental value to capital value. Approval was given to recruitment of 340 posts of technical cadre in Special Education department. Approval was given to recruitment of school teaching interns for government schools and delegation of powers to Local Government Department for building plan, land use convergence and private societies in Sheikhupur, Nankana Sahib and Kasur.

The meeting approved the nomination of three MPAs as members of the PPRA Board of Management and appointment of two ‘assessors’ in the LDA Tribunal.

It repealed Punjab Forensic Science Agency Act 2007 and approved Punjab Forensic Science Authority Act 2024 and approved the abolition of the Punjab Open Panchayat Authority, and granted approval to amend Punjab Local Government Act 2022, Punjab Forest Depot Rules 2023 and Punjab Forest Transit Rules 2023. Notification of Social Welfare Officer under the Juvenile Justice System Act 2018 was approved. The incentive System for officials of the Excise Taxation and Narcotics Control Department and whistle blowers was approved.

Amendments to the Punjab Urban Immovable Property Tax Rules 1998, draft of the Punjab Control of Narcotics Substances Act 2024, Amendment to the Motor Vehicle Ordinance 1965 and framing of rules under the Punjab Free and Compulsory Education Act 2014 were approved.

The meeting approved the formation of the Board of Examiners under the Coal Mines Regulations 1926.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2025