LAHORE: Punjab on Tuesday approved setting up five cement plants in the province, with a potential investment of around Rs200 billion, and also initiated action on 11 other applications for such plants.

The approval formed one of the 28-point agenda of the cabinet meeting. The cabinet was informed that five departments had issued No-Objection Certificate (NOC) within 90 days of application and action had also been started on 11 other applications. Chief Minister Usman Buzdar chaired the meeting.

The cabinet also approved an aid package for the areas affected by rain or flood which would bring millions of rupees relief to those affected in the second and third phase of the package. It approved to waive off additional fee on late registration of vehicles not registered during April and October this year.

The cabinet approved the online admission system and allowed the higher education department to enter into an agreement with Bank of Punjab for free online college admissions. The CM stated that local teachers would be recruited in hard areas to meet shortage.

The meeting endorsed the decisions of the cabinet committee for privatisation and allowed to transfer 697 pieces of land to the Privatisation Board for auction. Approval was granted to convert Rs10bn temporary loan to 1,263MW RLNG power plant in Trimmu and further allowed energy department for an agreement between the banking consortium.

The cabinet approved to declare wildlife parks of Vehari, Bahawalnagar, Loi Bher (Rawalpindi) and Bansra Galli (Murree) as zoological gardens and further decided to develop children and family park in Shahdara along with transfer of 70 kanal land. Women Hostel Authority Bill, 2020 was also approved for monitoring and issuance of licences to private hostels. Meanwhile, recommendations of resource mobilisation committee for revision in the transport department fee will be reviewed and the cabinet standing committee for legislation will submit its final recommendations.

Amendments to the Punjab Wildlife (Protection, Preservation, Conservation & Management) Rules, 1974 and the Punjab Urial Conservation, Protection and Trophy Hunting (Committees) Rules, 2016 were approved along with the approval of payment mechanism of sugar imported by the TCP. The CM directed to constitute a line departments’ committee for ensuring ample stock of essential items in future. This committee will propose necessary steps for availability or import of such items.

Federal government’s recommendations about imposing a windfall tax on natural gas and crude oil under petroleum policy, 2012 were accorded approval and the cabinet decided to implement a new apprenticeship act in place of the Apprenticeship Ordinance, 1962. Recruitment on 1,142 educators’ posts in DG Khan was approved along with forwarding of the forensic audit report of Auqaf department for 2015-18 to the departmental audit committee.

The committee will present the report before cabinet standing committee for finance and development after review.

The meeting endorsed the decisions made with regard to legislation over Ruet-e-Hilal Bill 2019.

Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2020