LAHORE, Oct 19 (APP):Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif chaired the 37th meeting of the Punjab Cabinet here on Monday, which approved a number of initiatives relating to industrial development, exports, agriculture, housing, healthcare and public services.
The cabinet offered Fateha for the officers and personnel who embraced martyrdom during operations against terrorists. Prayers were also offered for the departed soul of the mother-in-law of Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb.
The cabinet approved the features of the industrial development and export programme, presented by Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb.
Under the PIVOT programme, an investment of Rs1,995 billion is expected, including Rs1,089 billion in government investment and Rs906 billion in private investment. The programme is expected to generate more than 162,000 employment opportunities.
The programme includes industrial infrastructure and cluster development, competitive exports, value-chain transformation, mechanisation in agriculture and livestock, public-private partnerships, solar installations and skills development.
It also envisages support for existing industries, cluster infrastructure development, e-business, e-commerce, garments, plug-and-play facilities, leather and footwear. Testing and certification facilities for sports goods, cutlery, hand tools and ceramics, along with a material-testing laboratory for the fan industry, are also included.
Export financing for horticulture and floriculture, value addition in sweet potatoes and mangoes, and the establishment of agricultural processing parks in Sargodha, Khanewal, Okara and Bhakkar form part of the programme. Wheat value enhancement, meat and milk value chains, tourism, aquafarming and skills development to meet domestic and international requirements are also included.
The cabinet approved the establishment of horticulture authorities in 20 districts. The chief minister reiterated her resolve to establish Parks and Horticulture Authorities in every district of the province.
The cabinet approved subsidies for Phase V of the Chief Minister’s Green Tractor Programme for the high-power category. More than 250,000 applications have been received under the scheme. It also approved a waiver of late registration fees.
The Punjab government will provide a subsidy of Rs9.5 billion for 10,000 tractors. The meeting was informed that 25,000 tractors had already been delivered to farmers.
The CM observed that 44,000 tractors are being provided to farmers in two and a half years, compared with 10,000 tractors over the preceding 20 years. Similarly, Rs15 billion had been spent on agricultural mechanisation in two and a half years, against Rs3 billion over the previous 20 years.
The cabinet also approved a subsidy for the agricultural transformation project in the Thal region. An amount of Rs7.6 billion will be provided for drip irrigation, solar power, water storage and other facilities on 10,000 acres of agricultural land in Mankera and Layyah.
Subsidies for Phase IV of the Chief Minister’s Green Tractor Programme for the low-power category were also approved, under which 10,000 tractors will be provided to farmers.
The CM directed the immediate payment of outstanding dues required to make medical equipment functional in hospitals. The cabinet approved funds to clear essential liabilities of the Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department.
The cabinet approved amendments to traffic fines under the Punjab Ring Road Authority, including substantial increases in penalties for overspeeding, overloading, pedestrian-crossing violations and other traffic offences.
The meeting approved the Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar programme, under which the Bank of Punjab will provide 40,000 loans worth Rs60 billion. The chief minister rejected a proposal to impose stamp duty under the programme.
The cabinet approved the donation of six Clinic on Wheels vehicles to Gilgit-Baltistan and 15 vehicles to the government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
It also approved relaxation of the recruitment ban for 219 posts in the Suthra Punjab Authority and 3,704 posts in the Suthra Punjab Agency. Recruitment against 17 vacant posts in the Punjab Social Protection Authority was also approved.
The cabinet approved the formation of a special recruitment committee for appointments under the Global Investment Gateway of Punjab wing. It also approved relaxation of the recruitment ban for the Border Military Police and Baloch Levies in Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur.
The meeting further approved the creation and transfer of 70 posts for the Project Management Unit of the Youth Affairs and Sports Department, recruitment against 79 posts in the Provincial Intelligence Fusion and Threat Assessment Centre, and new recruitment in the Special Branch Intelligence Cadre.
Recruitment against 16 posts in the Strategic Planning Unit of the Skills Development and Entrepreneurship Department was also approved.
Source: APP (Associated Press of Pakistan)
