Punjab Cabinet approves Rs8bn Ramazan package, wheat procurement policy

LAHORE: Punjab Cabinet, which met Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar in the chair, approved around Rs 8 billion Ramazan Package 2022 and Wheat Procurement Policy 2022-23 to purchase 3.5 million metric tonnes wheat at the rate of 2200 per maund.

Under the Wheat Procurement Policy 2022-23, the procurement target could be enhanced if needed. The cabinet decided to effectively curtail the illegal movement of wheat.

An eight-member provincial level committee was also formed to procure wheat. The monitoring committees would monitor the procurement process at different levels. Temporary staff would also be hired for this purpose.

Under the Ramazan package, the 10-kg flour bag would be sold at Rs450 in Ramazan bazaars and the government would provide around four billion subsidy. Similarly, 13 food items would be provided at the rates of the previous year in Ramazan bazaars. The one kg sugar bag would be sold for Rs10 less than the market price. Similarly, chicken would be available at Rs10 less per kg and eggs at Rs5 per dozen less. As many as 317 Ramazan bazaars, 30 in Lahore, 19 in Faisalabad, 16 each in Rawalpindi and Gujranwala and 12 each in Kasur and Bahawalpur, would be set up across the province from last week of Sha’aban where agri fair price shops would also be established to provide eatables at affordable rates. The Ramazan bazaars would serve as Eid bazaars after the 20th of Ramazan.

The Punjab Cabinet decided to hand over the administration of four nationalized missionary schools to the US Presbyterian Church and approved the act for new universities to be set up in Attock, T T Singh, Rajanpur, Hafizabad, Pakpattan, Gujranwala, Taunsa, Kamalia, Layyah and D G Khan. The new universities could only set up sub-campuses in their respective districts only.

The Cabinet also approved a new search committee comprising Rector NUST Lt. Gen. (R) Javed Mahmood Bukhari, Prof Akmal Hussain, Syed Tahir Shahbaz, Chairperson PHEC and secretary higher education department, for posting of VC of Punjab University.

The Cabinet approved to construct a graduate girls college over 34 kanals land in Sikandria Colony in Lahore along with the approval of 15000 acres Cholistan land for military schedule. Conditional approval of a settlement between PSCA and Huawei was granted as the company would repair and upkeep of CCTVs for two years.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022