The provincial cabinet, which met at CM Office here on Tuesday with Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar in the chair, decided to abolish local governments’ licensing fee for professionals and approved necessary amendments to Punjab Local Government Act 2019 for bringing necessary changes in licensing regime to ensure ease of doing business.
The cabinet also approved import of 300,000 ton sugar through Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) along with allowing the food department to enter into an agreement with TCP for purchase of imported sugar. Amendment in Sugar Factories Control Act 1950 was granted to authorize the Punjab government to fix zone-wise dates for the start of crushing season. The meeting constituted the ministerial committee to submit recommendations within three days for fixing sugarcane price.
The meeting decided to remove Section 4 of Punjab Privatization Board Act 2010 so that divisional commissioners could supervise the auction process of state lands. Amendment to the policy for granting proprietary rights in lease schemes for temporary farming was approved and the farmers can submit their applications up to December 31. The meeting also approved to declare smog as calamity and further decided to include it in Punjab Calamities Act 1958.
The meeting approved to de-notify the gazette notification dated March 16, 2016, about allotment of land to South Punjab Forest Company and further decided to transfer the assets of South Punjab Forest Company. In-principle approval was granted to ease the policies for the provision of state lands for Naya Pakistan Housing Program along with the approval of Punjab Housing and Town Planning Agency Affordable Housing Scheme Rules 2020.
Meanwhile, the appointment of MD and COO of Punjab Safe City Authority Lahore was approved along with the approval of the proposed amendment in Punjab Board of Technical Education Ordinance 1962 for promotion of students without exams. The meeting approved posting of Member Punjab Environmental Tribunal Lahore and also gave approval to amendments in Act of Department of Tourist Services Punjab for transfer of six government guest and rest houses in Murree, Kotli Sattian and Chakwal.
The CM directed indiscriminate crackdown on hoarders and profiteers and directed the provisional price control committee and administrative officers to take indiscriminate action against the violators of law and provision of items at notified rates be ensured. No leniency will be shown to those selling items at exorbitant rates and lip-service will not help any more, he warned.
