Punjab Mines & Minerals Department Secretary Babar Aman Babar affirmed the Punjab government’s steadfast commitment to combat corruption in the mining sector. Through a strategic focus on fairness and transparency, the department has achieved remarkable success, as evidenced by the recent auctions in Sargodha district, said a spokesperson for the department here on Tuesday. A surge of competitive bidding resulted in record-breaking bids totaling three billion rupees, a significant increase from past contracts valued at 1.6 billion rupees. This unprecedented achievement, marking an 85 percent surge in bid values, underscores the efficacy of the Punjab government’s anti-corruption initiatives. The secretary commended the deputy director of Sargodha and the dedicated auction team for their exemplary efforts. He emphasized the importance of expediting actions on all auctions promptly, issuing directives to the director general of mines to ensure swift execution. The successful auction in Sargodha district not only reflects the Punjab governments unwavering resolve to eradicate corruption but also signifies a pivotal step towards fostering a fair and transparent environment within the mining sector.
Moreover, Provincial Minister of Industry and Commerce Chaudhry Shafay Hussain chaired a meeting to review the progress of ongoing development schemes and various features of CM Youth Skills Development Programme here at TEVTA Secretariat on Tuesday. The meeting decided that no new institution would be set up without improving the existing institutions. The provincial minister said that TEVTA’s (Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority) institutions and laboratories would be aligned with global requirements. He added that laboratories should be upgraded with the cooperation of universities like UMT (University of Management and Technology), while biometric attendance of students and staff should also be arranged in TEVTA institutes, besides paying special attention towards the future of microchip manufacturing. Language courses including Arabic, German, Korean, Japanese and Spanish should be started in TEVTA institutes and the curriculum should be prepared according to the requirements of global market, he added.
He also directed to improve TEVTAs website. Provincial Industry and Commerce Secretary Ehsan Bhutta, Chief Operating Officer (COO) Qurata Al Ain, Senior DG Akhtar Abbas Bharwana, Senior Economic Advisor Javed Iqbal and officers concerned attended the meeting.
Moreover, the district administration has intensified price control measures following the Chief Minister’s directives and conducted raids at 2,734 points resulting in the arrest of 62 violators during the last 24 hours. Lahore Deputy Commissioner Rafia Haider told media here on Tuesday that the price control magistrates imposed hefty fines on 198 shopkeepers and sealed various sale points. Around 74 individuals are facing cases over profiteering. In an effort to ensure the sale of essential commodities at prescribed rates, stringent monitoring is underway across the city and price control magistrates are conducting rigorous operations. A total of 55,132 locations were inspected and 69 points were sealed during the last month, while 1,431 individuals were arrested over profiteering and a fine was also imposed on 5,420 shopkeepers. Cases were also registered against 2,018 individuals. During Ramazan, approximately 36,577 sale points were scrutinized, resulting in fines imposed on 3,590 shopkeepers and traders over profiteering and overcharging.
