LAHORE: Punjab cabinet, which met on Tuesday with Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif in chair approved three mega projects, Apni Chhat…Apna Ghar, Chief Minister’s Green Tractor and Children’s Heart Surgery Programme.
The cabinet enhanced the penalties and fines for illegal weapons and kite flying. MDCAT policy for public and private sector medical and dental colleges and establishment of the first Punjab Life Insurance Company of the province approved in the meeting.
The cabinet for the first time in Pakistan approved the grant of housing loan on the ownership of a plot and CNIC copy. A borrower of Rs1.5 million has to pay Rs14,000 monthly instalment in 9 years. On the direction of CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the loaning scheme has been converted into a revolving fund and no additional charges will be taken from the public.
The cabinet approved uniform front design of Apni Chhat…Aapna Ghar project. The Chief Minister directed to simplify the scrutiny process of social, economic and income sources for obtaining a housing loan and said that the Punjab government wants to create ease for the people. We would build 0.5 million houses in five years, she said.
The CM also directed the ministers to pay the first instalment of the housing loan by visiting in person. The cabinet approved giving 9500 tractors under the Green Tractor Program in Punjab along with giving subsidy of Rs1 million on each tractor to the land owners processing up to 50 acres of land. This scheme will be launched from September 20 and balloting process will be held on October 20.
The CM said that we want to give 30000 tractors to the farmers of Punjab. The Chief Minister’s Children’s Heart Surgery Programme was approved in the meeting. She directed to conduct 12000 pending heart surgeries of children as soon as possible along with inviting international surgeons for Pediatric heart surgeries.
The CM directed to undertake measures on war footing for mental diseases of children. She directed the Health Minister to monitor the Children’s Heart Surgery programme.
The cabinet also approved amendment in the Punjab Arms Ordinance 1965 and declared the offense non-bailable. In the meeting, it was approved to fix the punishment of three to five years and imposing fine of Rs0.5 to 0.7 million for illegal arms and manufacturing etc and to set penalties for making and selling kites under the Kite Flying Ordinance 2001. Under the Kite Flying Ordinance, kite flying will be punishable with imprisonment of 2 to 5 years and a fine of Rs2 to 5 million.
In the meeting, the establishment of a search committee for the appointment of the Vice Chancellor of the University of Agriculture Faisalabad and the extension of the contract of 583 project employees of Literacy and Non-Formal Basic Education for one year was approved. Amendments to Punjab Vagrancy Ordinance 1958 and Probation of Offenders Ordinance 1960 were approved. The appointment of Technical Member and Vice Chairperson of Punjab Agriculture Food and Drug Authority was also approved.
The cabinet approved the settlement terms for Chairman Drugs Courts Punjab and the appointment of 4 technical experts as members of Infrastructure Development Authority Punjab.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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