The 19th cabinet meeting, chaired by caretaker Chief Minister Punjab Mohsin Naqvi at his office on Monday, approved construction of a new government officers’ residence (GOR) for homeless provincial government employees, as the CM ordered timely steps for development of a new residential colony.
The meeting lauded the exceptional cleanliness arrangements made during the Eidul Azha. Diligent efforts by the relevant bodies including ministries, departments as well as the Solid Waste Management Department were commended and the officials responsible for maintaining cleanliness throughout the province were acknowledged for their outstanding performance.
The cabinet approved inclusion of the SL-3 project of Lahore Ring Road and the elevated project from Niazi Chowk to Babu Sabu in the annual development programme. The expansion project of Data Darbar was also approved, which will feature a state-of-the-art almonry and enhanced facilities for visitors. The chief minister said that the owners of the land, which is acquired for the expansion project, would be compensated at the market rate.
Meanwhile , the cabinet authorised signing of an agreement between the Local Government Department and the Punjab Information Technology Board for the “Your Municipality, Helpline 1198″ project. Amendments to the Punjab Government Rules of Business, 2011 were approved to facilitate training of the public prosecutors at the Centre for Professional Development of Public Prosecutors.
Financial assistance was also approved for the affected children and families of deceased children in Ahmadpur East tehsil of Bahawalpur.
According to a significant decision, the cabinet granted financial autonomy to the medical superintendents of all government hospitals in Punjab, enabling them to manage their finances up to 10 million rupees. The cabinet also approved the delegation of financial powers to the medical superintendents.
The establishment of the Nishtar Institute of Ophthalmology & Allied Vision Sciences (IOAVS) in Multan and the revised procedure for the appointment of principals to the government colleges was reviewed. The audit report for the fiscal year 2022-23 was also approved for the accounts of the Punjab government.
Approval was given for a draft agreement between the Excise & Taxation Department and the Punjab Information Technology Board regarding scanning of motor vehicle registration documents/files. The Okara Arts Council was transferred back to the Punjab Arts Council from the Lahore Arts Council.
The meeting was attended by provincial ministers, advisors, chief secretary, the IG police, and others.
CM inspects progress on Akbar Chowk flyover project” Caretaker Chief Minister Punjab Mohsin Naqvi conducted a late-night inspection of the ongoing Akbar Chowk flyover project to assess the progress being made and expressed satisfaction over the pace of work. He emphasised the need to protect trees during the construction phase, said a handout issued here. The CM ordered working tirelessly and utilising all available resources to complete the project on time. The successful completion of the project will significantly improve the daily movement of around 250,000 vehicles and provide convenience to the residents of the surrounding areas, he added.
During the briefing by Commissioner Lahore/DG LDA Muhammad Ali Randhawa and Chief Engineer Israr Saeed, it was reported that 151 out of 153 flyover piles had been completed, with the remaining two in progress. Eight pile caps had already been completed, and work on the U-turn was progressing rapidly. Provincial Ministers Amir Mir, Azfar Ali Nasir, and others were also present.
Afterwards, CM Mohsin Naqvi addressed the media, emphasising that the health card scheme had not been terminated and reaffirming the government’s commitment to providing treatment for those in need. He clarified that efforts were being made to prevent any misuse of the health card scheme, particularly mentioning that heart operations were never halted under the program. He highlighted that heart patients receive 100% free treatment in government hospitals and 70% free treatment in private hospitals through health cards.
The chief minister expressed his priority of completing ongoing projects on time and ensuring transparency in every aspect. He pointed out the remarkable progress achieved in development projects within a short period. He acknowledged that there might be slight delays due to rainfall but assured that work on projects such as Shahdara continued even during the Eid holidays. The contractor was committed to his work and paid three times the labour to keep the construction ongoing.
The CM expressed confidence that Lahore would successfully meet the deadlines for project completion. He also mentioned obtaining technical clearance certificates from NESPAK for every development project and investigating any reported issues, such as stagnant water in the Kalma Chowk underpass, to take necessary action against negligence.
He commended the outstanding cleanliness arrangements made in Lahore during Eid-ul-Adha and extended his congratulations to Ministers Amir Mir, Azfar Ali Nasir, Commissioner Muhammad Ali Randhawa, and the deputy commissioner for their efforts in maintaining cleanliness in the city.
CM pays tribute to martyrs: Caretaker Chief Minister Punjab Mohsin Naqvi has paid rich tribute to Major Saqib Hussain and Naik Baqir Ali who embraced martyrdom in an operation against terrorists near Turbat.
The CM stated that Major Saqib Hussain and Naik Baqir Ali sacrificed their lives for the sake of peace in the country. The nation honours the brave sons of the Pakistan Army and their extraordinary sacrifice will not be in vain, as their martyrdom has ignited the flame of peace, symbolized by their precious blood.
“Our thoughts and condolences go out to the families of martyred Major Saqib Hussain and Naik Baqir Ali,” he added and prayed for the early recovery of injured Lance Naik Umair.
