Cabinet hikes doctors’ allowances for remote areas

The Punjab Cabinet gave a go-ahead on Tuesday to increase the doctors’ allowance for basic health units, rural health centres and some Tehsil headquarters hospitals to incentivise their appointment in remote areas on a temporary basis.

The cabinet was informed during a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif and the doctors will receive a monthly allowance of Rs7,000 to Rs8,000 for night duty.

They will also be offered Rs1,000 per day worth of fuel allowance for being posted in remote areas.

The cabinet approved the ‘Apni Chhat Apna Ghar’ and ‘Chief Minister Punjab Kisan Card’ programmes. It was decided that the housing programme would be launched on August 14.

The provincial cabinet approved the Punjab Sikh Anand Karaj Marriage Rules and Marriage Registrar Rules 2024.

Minorities Affairs Minister Ramesh Singh Arora said while briefing the cabinet that Punjab had become the first province in the world to implement the Sikh Marriage Act. He said, ”Even in India, Sikhs have to get their marriages registered under Hindu Act.”

In a few months, the Hindu Marriage Act will also be submitted for seeking the cabinet’s approval, the minister added.

The cabinet decided to transfer the management of the TB Hospital in Sargodha, Jubilee Female Hospital in Bahawalpur, Mazang Hospital and the Data Darbar Eye Hospital to the primary and secondary healthcare department.

It also approved amendments to the Registration Act 1908 for providing property transfer and other revenue services to overseas Pakistanis living in eight countries.