Chief Minister Punjab Chaudhry Parvez Elahi presided over the 8th Provincial Cabinet meeting at CM Office today in which it was decided that a single authority will monitor all the programmes for the social protection of the weak segments in the society along with ensuring social protection of the people. The Punjab Cabinet granted approval of Punjab Social Protection Policy 2022. The Chief Minister stated that the strategy to provided welfare to the masses will be ensured through the first consolidated Social Protection Policy of Punjab. The ongoing 129 social protection programmes are being run under different departments in Punjab. The public welfare programmes will ensured by a single authority under the Social Protection Authority.
The Punjab Cabinet granted approval to merge Zakat & Usher, Social Welfare and Bait-ul-Mal departments and with the merger of three departments, a single department of Social Protection will be established. The Cabinet paid tributes to Chairman PTI Imran Khan for collecting funds for the flood affectees by telethon. The cabinet also lauded the exemplary services of Dr. Sania Nishter, Head of Punjab Ehsas Programme being rendered in the flood relief programme.CM acknowledged that Imran Khan feels the pain of the sufferings of common man. CM revealed that the Punjab government has distributed Rs.5 billion among the flood affectees uptill now adding that payments to 36 thousand affected families have been disbursed. Financial assistance has also been extended to the flood affectees for the construction of their houses.
The Punjab government ensured settlement of the flood affectees through the amount being collected through telethon of Imran Khan and by its own resources. The Chief Minister denounced that the federal government did not pay a single penny for the assistance of flood affectees of Punjab. The Punjab government did not receive any assistance from the foreign aid and goods being sent for the flood affectees. Punjab government protested over the discriminatory attitude of the federal government earlier and is protesting even now. CM apprised that the Sindh government did not share data of the flood affectees despite repeated reminders adding that the Punjab government has reminded the Sindh government for the third time for sharing their data after undergoing a complete survey of flood affectees so that the government can provide assistance to the real deserving.
The Punjab government has allocated Rs.1 billion to assist the flood affectees of Sindh. CM maintained that we want the Sindh government to provide authentic data at the earliest so that the deserving can receive his due right and share. CM highlighted that the direct distribution programme through the Bank of Punjab without any interference is an example of its own. Punjab holds the distinction to constitute first disaster release management system. Dr. Nasia Nishter, DG PDMA presented a comprehensive briefing to the Punjab government about the assistance programme being provided to the flood affectees. Those families reducing their children upto two will be awarded grant by linking family planning with Punjab Ehsas Programme. The World Bank will provide grant of 130 million dollars for the success of family planning programme. The Punjab Cabinet expressed its serious reservations over the attitude of federal government for not paying the amount of universal health insurance programme and demanded from the federal government to soon release pending dues of Punjab.
The cabinet granted approval for the establishment of Khatamun Nabieen(SAW) University in Lahore and also allocated funds of Rs.1 billion for the provision of other facilities. Rs.1 billion will be disbursed under the Annual Development Programme for the provision of additional facilities in the Khatamun Nabieen(SAW) University. VC Block, Mosque and a hostel will be established in the Khatamun Nabieen(SAW) University located in the Seerat Academy at Upper Mall. A approval was granted for Rs.3 billion to construct multi-story parking plaza, overhead bridge and underground passage for the facilitation of devotees visiting Data Darbar. Approval was also granted to incorporate the project in the Annual Development Programme to construct parking plaza, overhead bridge and underground passage for the pedestrians near Data Darbar.
The parking facility of more than 400 vehicles will be available in the parking plaza. Approval was granted for the induction on the approved vacant 580 posts from grade 5 to 15 in the Special Education Department and for 839 new posts of junior and senior special education teachers to reduce the difference in the percentage of teachers and students in the Special Education Department. It was also decided to do ring fencing of the budget of Special Education Department. A high level ministerial committee has been constituted to review the matter of regularizing the services of teachers in the school education department. The committee will comprise senior Provincial Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal, Mian Mahmood ur Rashid, Murad Ras, Hashim Dogar, Asif Nakai and others. The committee will submit its recommendations to the cabinet soon. Approval was also granted to make induction on 632 posts in the Labour and Human Resource department, on the 1784 posts for the secretaries of union council in the Local government and Community Development, for inducting Excise inspectors in the Excise & Taxation department and for making induction on the 416 approved vacant posts from grade 5 to grade 15 in Excise & Taxation department.
Approval was also accorded to make induction for Assistant Food Controller, food Grain Inspectors and Food Grain Supervisors in the food Department. A high level departmental committee will do induction according to merit as well as rules and regulations. Approval was also granted during the Cabinet meeting to set up state of the art film production studio and cinema complex for the revival of film industry and the scheme was granted ADP approval. CM on the occasion stated that a film training academy will be established to impart training on film making technique likewise pattern of India adding that we want to magnify the glorious culture of Punjab through film. The professional services of Iranian and Turkish experts of film making will be availed. The Pakistani films becoming a glory of Indian cinema houses is appreciable. The cabinet also granted approval to accord Mandi Shah Jewena the status of new tehsil of district Jhang. Shah Jewena will become the 5th tehsil of district Jhang. Approval was also granted for the annual grant in aid for Alzheimer Pakistan, amendments in the section 187(2) & (4) of Punjab Local Government Act 2022 and Ammendments in rule 5 of sub-section 1 of Appointment and Conditions of Service Rules 2018. Approval was also granted to appoint Chief Executive Officer of Cattle Market Company.
Civil Hospital Kotla Arb Ali Khan was granted the status of Tehsil Headquarters Hospital. CM disclosed that Kotla Arb Ali Khan Hospital will be upgraded from 20 beds to 100 heads. The cabinet also granted approval of Rs.25 crore grant for the Journalists Housing Society on 189 kanals in Faisalabad and to transfer 189 kanals of land in the name of Journalists Housing Foundation. CM stated that the Punjab government will fulfil the dream of journalists of Faisalabad for having their own house. CM directed that the transfer work of Punjab Journalists Housing Foundation from RUDA should be completed as soon as possible. It was decided to review the negative lists of roads for CNG and petrol pumps afresh and approval was granted to purchase 25 new buses amounting to Rs.40 crore for TEVTA , Senior Provincial Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal Iqbal, Provincial Ministers, Advisors, Special Assistants, Chairpersons Punjab Ehsas Programe Dr. Sania Nishter, Chief Secretary Abdul Khan Sumbal, Principal Secretary to CM Muhammad Khan Bhatti, Inspector General of Police Amir Zulfiqar and senior officials attended the meeting.
