Punjab cabinet approves setting up of five cement plants worth Rs200 billion

LAHORE: Punjab Cabinet, which met here on Tuesday with Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar in the chair, accorded approval for setting up five cement plants worth around Rs200 billion. The Cabinet was informed that NOCs have been issued by five departments within 90 days and action has also been started on 11 other applications. This would help in meeting domestic cement needs along with creating job opportunities.

The 38th cabinet meeting, which discussed 28-point agenda, also approved an aid package for areas affected from rain, flood and sleet and millions of rupees will be distributed among affectees in the second and third phase of the package.

It approved to waive off the imposition of an additional fee on late registration of vehicles and decided to waive off the additional fee for not registration of vehicles from April 1st 2020 to October 2020 in lockdown. Applications can be submitted by January 15, 2021, and the CM asked the Cabinet Committee to hold a fresh review of matters relating to re-registration of motor vehicles under Section 30 of Provincial Motor Vehicles Ordinance, 1965.

The cabinet also approved the online admission system and allowed Higher Education Department to enter into an agreement with Bank of Punjab for free online college admissions.

The cabinet meeting endorsed the decisions of cabinet committee for privatization and allowed to transfer 697 lands of privatization board to divisional commissioners for auction.

Approval was granted to convert Rs10 billion temporarily loan of the Punjab government for 1263 megawatt RLNG power plant in Trimmu area of Jhang district into sponsor support and further allowed energy department for an agreement between the banking consortium.

The cabinet approved to declare wildlife parks of Vehari, Bahawalnagar, Loi Bher (Rawalpindi) and Bansra Galli (Murree) as zoological gardens and further decided to develop children and Family Park in Shahdra along with transfer of 70 Kanal land. Women Hostel Authority Bill, 2020 was also approved for monitoring and issuance of licenses to private hostels.

The cabinet also approved amendments in the Punjab Wildlife (Protection, Preservation, Conservation & Management) Rules, 1974 and the Punjab Urial Conservation, Protection and Trophy Hunting (Committees) Rules, 2016 besides the approval of payment mechanism of sugar imported by the TCP.

The CM directed to constitute a line departments' committee for ensuring ample stock of essential items in future. This committee will propose the necessary steps for availability or import of such items. The federal government's recommendations about imposing a windfall tax on natural gas and crude oil under Petroleum Policy, 2012 were also approved.

The cabinet decided to implement a new apprenticeship act in place of Apprenticeship Ordinance, 1962. Recruitment on 1142 educators' posts in DG Khan was approved along with forwarding of the forensic audit report of Auqaf Department for 2015-18 to the departmental audit committee.

The committee will present the report before cabinet standing committee for finance and development after review. The meeting endorsed the decisions made with regard to legislation over Ruet-e-Hilal Bill, 2019 and approved the appointment of Prof Dr Shaukat Pervaiz as Rector University of Faisalabad.

Moreover, the CM while chairing a meeting about Universal Health coverage accorded in principle approval of phased-wise provision of health coverage to every citizen in the province and a target has been fixed to extend universal health coverage to all the districts by the end of next year.

The CM stated Insaf Sehat Cards will be provided to every citizen as access to health facilities is their right. Annual health insurance of Rs720,000 will be provided to every citizen so that they could enjoy the best treatment, he added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020