Punjab cabinet approves major reforms in governance, agriculture, social welfare

The Punjab Cabinet, under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, has approved a series of significant reforms and projects aimed at improving governance, agriculture, and social welfare across the province, reported Express News.

Significant approvals included the formal establishment of the Punjab Enforcement and Regulatory Authority under the Punjab Enforcement and Regulatory Authority Rules 2024.

The cabinet also approved the delegation of hearing powers to Assistant Commissioners for the Punjab Environment and Regulatory Authority.

Maryam Nawaz expressed her appreciation for the efforts made by Senior Minister Maryam Aurangzeb and her team in combating smog, describing their efforts as “a war on smog.”

The meeting also revealed that farmers in Punjab had used the Kissan Card to purchase agricultural inputs worth Rs25 billion, including Rs16 billion worth of DAP fertiliser.

In a positive development, the province achieved its wheat sowing target of 16.6 million acres, with 87% of the sowing already completed.

A unique initiative for minorities was also approved, with a new Minority Card set to provide quarterly financial aid to 15,000 underprivileged families across the province.

The cabinet further approved a plan to establish a vehicle inspection and certification station, and to revive the Horse and Cattle Show, with a budget allocation of Rs1.5 billion.

In terms of local governance, the Punjab government will supply modern machinery to improve the performance of local bodies and make amendments to the Local Government Act. The creation of three three-storey towers for government employees at Chuburji Garden was also approved.

Additionally, a plan to provide plots and loans to government employees for housing was requested by the chief minister.

In the education sector, the cabinet approved the Foundation Learning Policy for 2024, aimed at improving spoken English and reading skills in Punjab's government schools. The initiative will also establish model markets in every district, with an initial budget of Rs2.58 billion.

Further, a sum of Rs2.5 billion was approved for the Punjab Transplant Program, which will support organ transplants, including liver, kidney, and bone marrow, across the province.

The cabinet also greenlit a range of recruitment decisions, including the filling of 276 technical vacancies at the Punjab Agriculture Food and Drug Authority and the replacement of outdated equipment at the Punjab Forensic Science Authority.

The Border Military Police and Baloch Levies will also recruit 464 personnel for the first time in 42 years.

The cabinet further approved the creation of new boards of management for eight hospitals, the inclusion of 43 development projects from Kasur in the Annual Development Programme, and the restoration of the Tollinton Market in Lahore with a supplementary grant of 192 million rupees.

Among the notable decisions, the cabinet also approved amendments to the laws related to kite flying, making it a non-bailable offence, and to the Public-Private Partnership Act 2024. Furthermore, changes to the Advertising Policy 2024 were also sanctioned.

In a separate development, the Punjab Police will provide training to 210 Iraqi police officers and personnel, a move which was also endorsed by the cabinet.