Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has approved a financial aid package devised by Information and Culture Department to provide aid worth Rs 15000 to Rs 20000 each to three thousand needy artistes.
In this regard, the CM has stated the government is fully aware of difficulties being faced by the artistes due to lockdown and added that deserving artistes will be assisted transparently. The artistes will be provided financial aid as soon as possible after their categorization, he added.
The CM inaugurated the prison management information system (PMIS) at a ceremony held at Civil Secretariat on Tuesday. On this occasion, the CM was told that digital monitoring of prisoners, staff and other things will be possible through this modern system which has been launched in seven different jails of the province. The scope of PMIS will be gradually enhanced to all the jails to maintain a digital record and monitoring of prisoners’ movement and other activities during their confinement. Similarly, visitors’ record will also be maintained.
The CM directed to complete necessary action for amendments in jail manual and prison act and also approved to set up PCOs in all the jails of the province. The meeting decided to take steps for increasing the capacity of Punjab jails to accommodate ten thousand more prisoners.
The CM gave in-principle approval to post up-gradation of jail staff, laundry system besides establishing new washrooms in jails. It was also decided to increase the strength of doctors and paramedics according to the need besides establishing a development directorate for the prisons department.
Talking on this occasion, the CM said that organised jail reforms have been started after a period of 100 years adding that he is also visiting jails during field visits to check their conditions. Prisoners will be provided with all facilities according to the jail manual, he assured and directed to provide air-coolers and water-coolers in all the jails.
Usman Buzdar presided over a meeting at Civil Secretariat on Tuesday in which Energy secretary gave a briefing about energy projects in Punjab. The meeting decided to transfer sewerage and water supply projects of WASA and streets lights on solar energy in all the divisional headquarters of the province. The meeting gave in-principle approval to introduce solar-based projects for 50 to 100 houses and the CM directed to devise projects for supplying direct electricity to the industry through provincial grid station.
The CM also gave the approval to upgrade solar wall project in Kala Shah Kaku adding that renewable solar energy training centre will be set in Bahawalpur while Solar Center of Excellence for Solar Testing and Training will be established in Multan.
The government intends to make electricity-producing units a profitable entity and standard building code should be strictly implemented for saving electricity, he added.
He further directed to decrease electricity bills of government buildings adding that solar systems be installed at additional places of hydropower plants.
He also directed to set up canteens at different quarantine facilities including Expo Center’s field hospital so that inmates could choose their favourite foods items. Use of PPEs will be mandatory for canteens’ staff.
A meeting was held at Civil Secretariat under the chair of CM on Tuesday to formulate the SoPs of home quarantine. Secretary Specialized Healthcare briefed about proposed SoPs adding that internationally-acknowledged guidelines will be provided in black and white as protection of family members is the first priority.
