Punjab finance department introducing digital funding mechanism: minister

LAHORE: For uninterrupted disbursement of funds to the schemes that are to be completed in a short span of time, the Punjab Finance department is introducing a digital funding mechanism.

"Under the new arrangement, all such schemes included in the Annual Development Programme that can be completed within a period of one year will be immediately funded. Funds will be provided on a priority basis for sewerage, clean water supply and communication and works schemes," said Punjab Finance Minister Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht while addressing a meeting of the Cabinet Standing Committee on Finance and Development here on Monday.

Punjab Industry and Commerce Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal, Punjab Chief Secretary Kamran Ali Afzal, Planning and Development Board Chairman Abdullah Khan Sumbal and provincial secretaries of all concerned departments were present in the meeting.

The minister also told the meeting that in future recruitment on a permanent basis will be done in accordance with new pension rules.

"The final decision on recruitment of polio workers will be taken in near future," he added.

He directed the higher education department to ensure recruitment of teachers as per the requirement for the colleges announced in the Annual Development Programme.

"Just construction of new college buildings will not serve the purpose. Moreover, the department should ensure an increase in the number of CTI (college teaching interns) seats, which will help in meeting the immediate teaching needs of students," he added. On this occasion, the committee extended the tenure of Punjab Revenue Authority Chairman Zainal Abidin for showing good performance.

Meanwhile, more than 35 recommendations were made by various departments in the meeting and a majority of them were approved, including allocation of funds on emergency needs for the protection of agricultural lands and villages near rivers from erosion, and the amendment in the third clause of the notification regarding special allowance for government employees of the Finance department.

Furthermore, the meeting permitted the civil defense, higher education and literacy and non-formal education departments to make new recruitments, besides allowing recruitment of male and female educators and non-medical staff in all the teaching institutes run by the specialized health and medical education department.

While addressing the meeting, Punjab Industry and Commerce Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal said that the condition of coronavirus test from private laboratories should be abolished for patients undergoing treatment in government hospitals and added that the same testing facility should be provided in government hospitals.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021