25% allowance okayed for govt employees

Rs7.10b approved for free medical facilities for Dera Ghazi Khan

LAHORE:

Punjab Cabinet has approved a 25% special allowance for more than 0.7 million provincial government employees of grade-1 to 19 from June 01, 2021.

The decision was taken in the 44th session of the provincial cabinet which held under the chair of Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar at his office on Thursday.

The cabinet also approved Rs7.10 billion for free medical facilities to the residents of DG Khan and Sahiwal divisions under the first phase of the universal health insurance programme. The whole population of the province will be given free health coverage, up to Rs720,000, by December this year, the CM said and directed the health department to expedite the procurement of the corona vaccine.

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The cabinet approved an amendment in the Punjab Board of Revenue Act, 1957 to early decide revenue cases by withdrawing the right of second review appeal in revenue cases. It approved in principle to provide financial assistance to the rain-hit Hafizabad, Sahiwal, Okara, Pakpattan and other districts for compensation of death and financial losses and CM directed expeditious steps in this regard.

The meeting approved amendments in the 122-year-old stamp act of 1899 to authorise BoR to audit private housing societies. Record of flats and multi-storey buildings will be compiled to collect revenue. The CM directed to devise a master plan for all the cities and a committee was constituted for this purpose.

In-principle approval was given to exempt affordable housing projects in peri-urban areas from PRA's sales tax. Extension in the contract of PFSA's DG Muhammad Ashraf Tahir was approved and it was also decided to take steps to encourage new talent.

Formal approval of Imran Amin as CEO of Ravi Urban Development Authority on merit along with the nomination of new members was given. Similarly, an amendment in Punjab Arms Rules, 2017 was given to authorize deputy commissioners the transfer and modification of arms licenses.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 4^th, 2021.