Panels formed for Ramazan relief`

Punjab cabinet reviews proposals for facilitating people in holy month

LAHORE:

The caretaker Punjab cabinet on Thursday discussed proposals aimed at providing effective relief to the people during the upcoming month of Ramazan.

Presiding over a cabinet meeting, Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi ordered the formation of a ministerial committee tasked with finalising the Ramazan relief package. The committee will present its recommendations at the next cabinet meeting.

A paperless meeting of the provincial cabinet was held, in which the agenda was presented on tablets. According to an official statement, the meeting conducted through the Cabinet Management Information System would result in cost saving of Rs2 million per session.

The caretaker cabinet also decided to revise the wheat support price and sought the final recommendations in this regard from the standing committee concerned.

A ministerial committee was also formed to determine the security costs during PSL matches.

The committee will recommend zero-risk and cost-effective solutions and will also consult the PCB. The caretaker cabinet approved an austerity policy for the financial year 2022-23. A committee will ensure the implementation of measures for savings.

The participants of the meeting approved a technical supplementary grant for the operational expenditures of Punjab Police.

They also approved the appointment of Justice (retd) Syed Kazim Raza Shamsi as the Chairman of the Punjab Appellate Tribunal.

During the meeting, it was agreed that the rules and regulations governing the Cabinet standing committees for finance and development, legal issues and privatisation, and law and order would be revised.

In particular, the Cabinet Standing Committee for Law and Order was also given decision-making powers to better enable it to fulfil its responsibilities.

The meeting was attended by caretaker provincial ministers and senior officials.

Meanwhile, Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi inaugurated the Spring Festival Plantation Campaign 2023 by planted a bottle palm sapling in the CM Office lawn.

He prayed for the success of the campaign.

Naqvi said on the occasion that that 30 million saplings would be planted during the campaign across Punjab.

He said planting a tree was a national obligation as well as social responsibility.

Everyone should vigorously participate in the plantation campaign and properly look after the trees, he added.

He underscored that planting a sapling was not sufficient but its care was equally important.

Briefing the caretaker CM with regard to the plantation campaign, the Punjab forests secretary said the department had set up 489 nurseries to provide saplings to the people.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 17^th, 2023.