Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar presided over 18th meeting of Punjab cabinet at his office here on Tuesday in which establishment of 13-member Punjab Local Government Finance Commission was given approval. This commission would be headed by Finance Minister in order to devise the formula of provincial taxes. The meeting decided to lift ban on recruitment against vacant posts from grade one to four and the Chief Minister directed the departments to forward their cases for recruitment against such grades. The Chief Minister will give approval to the recruitments after reviewing them on case-to-case basis. The Punjab cabinet decided to shutdown Sasti Roti Authority and decided to hold special audit of irregularities in this scheme. Action will be initiated in the light of special audit report. The meeting was also given a detailed briefing about anti-dengue measures. The meeting decided to amend the table of registration fee of Registration Act, 1908 and the scope of e-stamping scheme will be further expanded after the amendments. Approval was given to increase fines for violation of traffic rules as well as adoption of different steps for ensuring traffic management in the light of Provincial Motor Vehicles Amendment Bill, 2019. The meeting gave approval to amendments in Punjab Border Military Police and Baloch Levies Service Rules, 2009. It also decided to establish University of Technology in Rawalpindi and approved draft bill 2019 in this regard. Permission was granted to outlets of less than one cusec size. The meeting approved release of funds worth more than six crore rupees with regard to operations of speedo buses from Bahawalpur to Lodhran. The meeting also granted approval to the draft of Punjab Demarcation, Numbering and Naming of Village and Neighbourhood Rules, 2019.
The Chief Minister directed the ministers to hold open courts in their respective districts adding that ministers should go to field to provide relief to the people and to control prices of items. The ministers should also regularly hold meetings to control dengue in their districts. He asked the ministers to review progress made on development projects and further directed that provincial ministers should visit hospitals, educational institutions, arazi record centres, police stations, jails and other public places and submit their reports to the Chief Minister’s Office. Every possible step will be taken for bringing ease in the lives of the people, added Usman Buzdar. The chief minister further said that cabinet members should maintain close liaison with the district administration and submit a fortnightly report to the CMO about the steps being taken for providing relief to the masses. Proposals for further saving government resources should also be submitted and the ministers should burn midnight oil for serving the masses. They should also keep their doors open to the public. Performance of provincial ministers will be regularly reviewed, concluded the chief minister. The meeting gave approval to the appointment of Iftikhar Taj Mian as non-official member of management committee of Punjab Pension Fund. Minutes of 17th meeting of Punjab cabinet were also endorsed besides approval of decisions made in the 14th and 15th meetings of cabinet standing committee on finance and development. Provincial ministers, advisors, special assistants, chief secretary, administrative secretaries and high officials attended the meeting.