Punjab cabinet approves Rs1.995tr industrial programme, 162,000 jobs

LAHORE – The Punjab cabinet on Monday approved key features of an industrial development and export promotion programme involving proposed investments of Rs1.995 trillion and envisaging the creation of more than 162,000 jobs.

The programme, presented by Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb at the 37th meeting of the provincial cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, envisages Rs1.089 trillion in government investment and Rs906 billion from the private sector.

According to the official briefing, the programme, titled PIYUT, focuses on industrial infrastructure, cluster development, export competitiveness, value-chain transformation, agricultural and livestock mechanisation, and public-private partnerships. It also envisages support for existing industries, e-business, e-commerce, garments and plug-and-play industrial facilities, as well as testing and certification services for leather, footwear and sports goods. Material-testing laboratories will be established for the cutlery, handmade tools, ceramics and fan industries, while export financing will be provided for horticulture and floriculture.

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Agriculture processing parks are planned in Sargodha, Khanewal, Okara and Bhakkar. Other areas covered by the programme include wheat value enhancement, meat and milk value chains, skills development, value addition in citrus, potatoes and mangoes, tourism and aquaculture.

The cabinet also approved the establishment of horticulture authorities in 20 districts, reaffirming the chief minister’s commitment to setting up a Parks and Horticulture Authority in every district.

The cabinet approved subsidies for Phase V of the Chief Minister Punjab Green Tractor Programme, allocating Rs9.5 billion for 10,000 high-powered tractors. More than 250,000 applications have been received, according to the briefing. The meeting was told that the government had distributed 44,000 tractors over the past two and a half years, compared with 10,000 during the preceding 20 years. Around 25,000 tractors under the current initiatives had so far been delivered to farmers. The cabinet also approved a waiver of late registration fees under the scheme and subsidies for Phase IV of the low-powered Green Tractor Programme, covering another 10,000 tractors.

It further approved subsidies for an agricultural transformation project in Thal, under which Rs7.6 billion will be spent on drip irrigation, solar power, water storage and related facilities across 10,000 acres in Mankera and Layyah.

The cabinet approved the Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar housing programme, under which the Bank of Punjab will extend 40,000 loans backed by an allocation of Rs60 billion. The chief minister rejected a proposal to impose stamp duty under the scheme.

Maryam Nawaz directed the immediate payment of outstanding dues required to make medical equipment functional in hospitals. The cabinet approved funds to clear essential liabilities of the Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department.

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It also approved the donation of six Clinic on Wheels vehicles to Gilgit-Baltistan and 15 to Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Other decisions included the establishment of the Maryam Nawaz Medical College and Teaching Hospital in Mianwali, recruitment of school teaching interns in government schools, and operational arrangements for 1,500 electric buses at tehsil level.

The cabinet also approved hosting the 14th South Asian Games.

Amendments to traffic fines under the Punjab Ring Road Authority were approved, with substantially higher penalties proposed for overspeeding, overloading, pedestrian-crossing violations and other offences.

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The cabinet also approved amendments to an air-quality management project to provide electric trucks and anti-smog guns, along with funding for the expansion of public services and development schemes.

The meeting approved relaxation of the recruitment ban for several departments and agencies, including the Suthra Punjab Authority and its agency, the Punjab Social Protection Authority, the Border Military Police and Baloch Levies in Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur, and the Provincial Intelligence Fusion and Threat Assessment Centre.

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Recruitment against 79 posts at the intelligence centre was approved, along with hiring against vacant posts in other departments and the creation of 70 posts under a project management unit of the Youth Affairs and Sports Department.

The cabinet also approved new Special Branch offices in Rajanpur and Rahim Yar Khan, recruitment against 37 administrative posts at the Punjab Forensic Science Authority, and the creation of posts for child protection units across the province.

It further approved the establishment of a provincial cabinet committee to consult on announcing a date for local government elections.

The cabinet approved the establishment of the University of Punjab’s Pothohar Campus in Gujar Khan, the conversion of the University of Rasul scheme into a university and medical college, and the inclusion of various development projects in the annual development programme.

It also approved an additional 10.5-kilometre section of the Bahawalpur Ring Road, a flyover at the Abdul Hakeem railway crossing, rehabilitation and improvement of roads in Lahore’s Badami Bagh, and funding for the revamping of Lahore Railway Station.

Murree was declared a calamity-hit district to facilitate compensation for those affected in Jheeka Gali. The cabinet also approved flood-protection works to safeguard agricultural land and settlements, along with measures to prevent river erosion.

The cabinet endorsed the continuation of the Maryam Nawaz Social Security Ration Card Scheme and approved a supplementary grant of Rs81.6 million for purchasing assistive devices under the Maryam Ko Batain helpline.

It also approved the establishment of a Punjab Senior Citizens Council, amendments to several laws and rules, and appointments to various public-sector institutions.

At the outset of the meeting, the cabinet offered prayers for security personnel who had been killed during operations against terrorists and for the late mother-in-law of Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb.

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