The Punjab government has decided to declare the support of people living below the poverty line as state responsibility.
In this regard, draft of Punjab Ehsaas Program Act 2022 was approved by the cabinet sub-committee on legislative business.
Under the proposed law, all social services in the province will be integrated. The meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Legislative Affairs was held in the Civil Secretariat under the chairmanship of Provincial Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Raja Bisharat. Special Assistant to Chief Minister (SACM) on Ehsaas Program Senator Dr. Sania Nishtar, Provincial Minister for Communications and Works Ali Afzal Sahi, MNA Sadaqat Ali Abbasi and related government officials participated in the meeting.
Senator Dr. Sania Nishtar, while briefing the meeting on the draft of the Punjab Ehsaas Program Act 2022, said that the Ehsaas program is being integrated in Punjab. “Under the proposed law, more than 120 social services of Punjab will be monitored by a Central Ehsaas Board”, she briefed. “Dynamics of any public social service work will not be changed under the new law, however access to people living below the poverty line will be more streamlined”, explained the SACM.
Chairman Committee Raja Basharat said that after the approval of the Cabinet, the draft will be presented in the Punjab Assembly.
The meeting also deliberated on regulating act of increase the production capacity of sugar mills.
Provincial Minister Raja Basharat directed that the issue of regulation of enhancement of production capacity of sugar mills should be forwarded to the Punjab Cabinet for final approval. Amending the existing law in this regard is also being reviewed in the meeting, he added.
