The Punjab government could provide subsidy on wheat procurement only for the province while other provinces subsidy issues should be taken up with the federal government.
Further, clarification on the responsibilities of the province as well as the distribution of resources has been made clear after the 18th Amendment in the constitution.
These views were expressed by Punjab Finance Minister Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht while presiding over the 66th meeting of the Cabinet Standing Committee on Finance and Development at Chief Minister’s Secretariat here Wednesday.
Other participants in the meeting included Advisor to Chief Minister on Economic Affairs Dr Salman Shah, Secretary Finance Abdullah Sunbal, Secretary Planning and Development Mujahid Sher Dal and secretaries of relevant departments.
He instructed the Food, Agriculture and Finance department to make recommendations after legal consultation with the law department on the disbursement of resources and subsidies.
He observed that the federal government should ensure allocation of the resources and shares of the provinces in the subsidy paid to farmers on fertilizers by the province to increase production.
Total 21 recommendations were tabled by various departments at the meeting mainly related to renaming and extension of scope of schemes included in the annual development program.
The Department of Special Education has provided free text books to special children, subsidy to increase wheat production, construction of Judicial Complex Depalpur, repair of Punjab House Karachi and various schemes of Department of School Education, Local Government and Communicators and Works were presented.
The meeting approved more than 17 recommendations to include them in the annual development program (ADP).
The Rescue 1122’s recommendations to increase the funding of the scheme included in the annual development program whereas to change the scheme of the Primary and Secondary Health department was postponed for further clarification.
The meeting also called for departmental measures to improve the architecture of public sector buildings under the Communications and Works Department and stressed the need for administrative reforms for better education and training of special children.
The provincial minister observed that the Punjab government is ready to provide all possible assistance to the institutions to highlight the special talents of special children.
