Lahore (Web Desk): The Punjab Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, approved a 130-point agenda in its 28th meeting, announcing significant welfare, educational, industrial and administrative reforms.
The cabinet approved the provision of 1,220 flats for industrial workers and ordered the construction of an additional 3,000 flats, rejecting any proposal to charge fees. A uniform minimum wage of Rs. 40,000 was set for workers across skilled, semi-skilled, and 102 other categories.
Lifetime pensions for widows and official examinations for 5th and 8th-grade students were also approved. The government praised Rescue 1122’s flood relief efforts and announced Rs50,000 rewards for flood rescue personnel.
Prison industries will be established to employ inmate workers, with wages to be paid. A third-party monitoring system was approved to ensure transparency.
To boost investment, an online application system for petrol pump licenses requiring just six documents was introduced. The Punjab Occupational Safety and Health Rules 2024 were also passed, with the Chief Minister emphasizing strict enforcement.
The cabinet banned child labor through the Punjab Restriction on Employment of Children Rules 2024 and set uniform rules for university appointments. Vice chancellors will be hired through open-market recruitment with a minimum merit of 80%.
Other decisions included launching an AI traffic management system, establishing WASA, paid internships for nurses, disbursing Rs. 93 billion via the Kisan Card, opening new tractor plants, and allocating Rs. 2.6 billion for flood victims.