Punjab Cabinet approves eight amendment bills

The Punjab Cabinet has on Wednesday approved eight amendment bills of various departments with regard to running the affairs of ministries being transferred to the provinces under 18th constitutional amendment.
Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif presided over a Punjab Cabinet meeting, in which he constituted a Cabinet Committee for elimination of corruption in the province that will formulate its recommendations in this regard, disclosed an official. The Committee will submit the same in the next cabinet meeting that will later be presented in the next session of the Punjab Assembly for legislation.
The Cabinet gave approval to the Trust Act 1882, Transfer of Property Act 1882 and Partition Act 1908 of Board of Revenue, Punjab Epidemic Disease Act 2010 and Injured Persons (Medical Aid) Act 2004 of Health Department, Employment of Children Act 1991 and Employment (Record of Services) Act 1951 of Labour Department, and Punjab Publication of Holy Quran (Elimination of Printing and Recording Errors) Act 2010 of Auqaf Department. The meeting also gave approval to the annual report of Punjab Public Service Commission for 2009.
While addressing the meeting, the CM said corruption is the major hurdle in the development of the country and we they have to make joint efforts for its elimination. He said a Cabinet Committee is being constituted for rooting out corruption in the province, which will submit its concrete recommendations for purging the society of this menace, to be presented to the Punjab Assembly for legislation after the cabinet approval. "An approval has also been given for setting up of an authority for elimination of hoarding, adulteration in essential items and stabilising their prices in the province and a draft law will soon be submitted in this regard," he added.
Regarding Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs) of government officers and officials, he said the purpose of these reports is to judge the efficient and inefficient officials. "In the past these reports were reflective of the performance of the officers in true sense but now these reports are not being written in proper manner," he added.
He directed that the previous standard of these annual confidential reports should be restored and these reports should be written on the basis of actual performance of all officers and officials. He observed that the national solidarity demonstrated on the visit of the Chinese Prime Minister to Pakistan is laudable.
Appreciating the performance of Cabinet Committee, elected representatives, administration, police and concerned departments for maintaining law and order, brotherhood and religious harmony in the province during Muharram-ul-Haram, he said we thank to Almighty Allah on the peaceful performance of all religious rituals. He also said there is always room for improvement and they will also have to take more steps for meeting the future challenges. He also appreciated the performance of Senior Advisor Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa, Chief Secretary and Secretaries of the concerned departments for making amendments in the laws of the departments being transferred to provinces after 18th amendment.
On the occasion, Punjab Chief Secretary Nasir Mehmood Khan Khosa informed the meeting with regard to amendments in the laws of departments being transferred to the provinces after 18th amendment and added that a special committee headed by Senior Advisor Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa had been constituted in this regard, which has formulated final recommendations for 18 amendment bills, out of which eight amendment bills regarding Revenue, Health, Labour and Auqaf are being presented for approval in the meeting.