Law empowering differently abled persons gets cabinet’s nod

Committee defers agenda item on upper age limit under the Employees Social Security Ordinance

LAHORE:

The cabinet standing committee on legislative business, led by Punjab Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Muhammad Basharat Raja on Friday approved the draft of the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Act 2021 along with several issues after detailed discussions.

Provincial Minister for Public Prosecution Chaudhry Zaheeruddin and the secretaries concerned also attended the meeting.

The minister said that with the approval of the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Act 2021 by the Punjab Assembly, special persons would be resolving their issues and helping them become part of society. The meeting approved the shifting of many endangered birds from the first schedule to the third schedule under Wildlife Act. Basharat Raja, while supporting the initiative, said that the decision would help protect endangered birds.

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The committee sanctioned the advice for the Livestock Department to agree with Balochistan University. Under the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU), the Punjab government would help Balochistan University in the preparation of vaccination and other research developments. Separate sub-committees were constituted for further deliberations on the establishment of the Kohsar Development Authority Act 2021 and the setting up of regional health authorities under the Local Government Act.

“Draft acts would be approved after recommendations from the respective sub-committees,” said the chair.

The committee approved the decision of declaring District Council Rawalpindi as the sister local government body of Yiling Municipality of China. He said that Rawalpindi District Council would benefit from the Yiling municipality’s expertise in developing water reservoirs.

The committee deferred the agenda item on the upper age limit under the Employees Social Security Ordinance; however, the appointment of non-official members for the Punjab Curriculum and Text Board was approved accordingly.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, February 19^th, 2022.