CM reserves copter for relief work

Punjab cabinet approves Rs4b for irrigation system rehabilitation

LAHORE:

Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has reserved his helicopter for ongoing rescue and relief operations in flood-hit areas, while the provincial cabinet members have donated their one-month salary to help the affected people.

The cabinet approved the release of special funds of Rs4 billion for the rehabilitation of the irrigation infrastructure damaged by rains and floods. The announcements were made following a provincial cabinet meeting on Monday.

The cabinet expressed full solidarity with the flood victims and decided to meet the needs of other flood-affected provinces too.

The chief minister also announced the dispatch of medicines and medical staff to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Balochistan for the affected people.

He underscored during the meeting that the Punjab government stands with the flood-affected people of other provinces in the hour of difficulty.

The cabinet endorsed the decision to declare the flood-affected areas of Rajanpur, Dera Ghazi Khan and Mianwali calamity-stricken. The cabinet members prayed for the departed souls and extended sympathies to the bereaved heirs.

The chief minister directed the authorities to speed up the relief activities in a systematic manner and said that tents, food hampers and other equipment would be provided in the affected areas as needed. The government will also redress the damage to houses, crops and livestock and every deserving person will be given his right, he said and added that no one's right should be usurped.

It was decided that the auction process of state land in DG Khan district would be handed over to the cabinet standing committee for privatization, which will give its final recommendations after considering all the issues.

The cabinet approved naming the Nicholson Road after the late politician Nawabzada Nasrullah.

It decided to entrust the matter regarding staff of phase two of the PSDP/ADP-funded programme for water courses to a committee. Extension of the service of LDA Tribunal President Mansoor Ahmad Khan was also approved.

The formation of a new search committee for the appointment of vice chancellors of public universities was approved with Shafqat Mahmood as its convener. The appointment of the chairperson and judicial members of the Punjab Revenue Authority's appellate tribunal and the annual calendar of the 5th parliamentary year 2022-23 of the Punjab Assembly were also approved.

The cabinet approved the annual reports for 2021 of the Punjab Public Service Commission the Office of the Ombudsman Punjab.

The reconstitution of cabinet standing committees formed in the first meeting of the forum was approved as well.

A briefing was given about the loss of life and property caused by the floods and relief activities.

The provincial ministers, advisers, special assistants, chief secretary and senior officials attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Parvaiz Elahi announced while addressing the Pride of Punjab Sports and Lifetime Achievement Award ceremony that gyms and complexes would be built for wrestlers in four cities.

He said top organisations should give jobs to athletes so that they could play without worrying about employment. “I am inviting the VCs to promote sports in private universities,” he said and added that the government would invite accomplished and foreign coaches to develop the talent of the youth.

The chief minister said a 25-storey complex would be built near the Gaddafi Stadium at a cost of $1 billion where the Punjab government's share would be 30 per cent and the United Arab Emirates government's 70%. An underground tunnel to the stadium will be built for the players.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 30^th, 2022.