Punjab govt approves setting up five cement plants in the province

Last updated on: 08 December,2020 10:23 pm

The provincial cabinet has also approved no-objection certificates (NOCs) for five more plants.

LAHORE (Dunya News) – The Punjab government on Tuesday approved setting up five cement plants worth around Rs.200 billion in the province and issued no-objection certificates (NOCs).

The decision was made during 38th cabinet meeting, which held at CM Office on Tuesday under the chair of Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar. The meeting approved 28-point agenda.

The provincial cabinet also approved an aid package for areas affected from rain, flood and sleet and crores of rupees will be distributed in such affectees in the second and third phase of the package. It approved to waive off the imposition of an additional fee on late registration of vehicles and decided to waive off the additional fee for not registration of vehicles from April 1st 2020 to October 2020 in lockdown. Applications can be submitted by January 15, 2021, and the CM asked the cabinet committee to hold a fresh review of matters relating to re-registration of motor vehicles under Section 30 of Provincial Motor Vehicles Ordinance, 1965.

The cabinet approved the online admission system and allowed higher education department to enter into an agreement with Bank of Punjab for free online college admissions. The chief minister stated that local teachers will be recruited in hard areas  school to fill their shortage.

The meeting endorsed the decisions of cabinet committee for privatization and allowed to transfer 697 lands of privatization board to divisional commissioners for auction. Approval was granted to convert 10 billion rupees temporarily loan of Punjab government for 1263 megawatt RLNG power plant in Trimmu area of Jhang district into sponsor support and further allowed energy department for an agreement between the banking consortium.

The cabinet approved to declare wildlife parks of Vehari, Bahawalnagar, Loi Bher (Rawalpindi) and Bansra Galli (Murree) as zoological gardens and further decided to develop children and family park in Shahdra along with transfer of 70 Kanal land. Women Hostel Authority Bill, 2020 was also approved for monitoring and issuance of licenses to private hostels. Meanwhile, the recommendations of resource mobilization committee for revision in the transport department fee will be reviewed and the cabinet standing committee for legislation will submit its final recommendations.

Amendments in Punjab Wildlife (Protection, Preservation, Conservation & Management) Rules, 1974 and Punjab Urial Conservation, Protection and Trophy Hunting (Committees) Rules, 2016 were approved along with the approval of payment mechanism of sugar imported by the TCP. The CM directed to constitute a line departments  committee for ensuring ample stock of essential items in future. This committee will propose the necessary steps for availability or import of such items.

The federal government’s recommendations about imposing a windfall tax on natural gas and crude oil under petroleum policy, 2012 were accorded approval and the cabinet decided to implement a new apprenticeship act in place of Apprenticeship Ordinance, 1962. Recruitment on 1142 educators’ posts in DG Khan was approved along with forwarding of the forensic audit report of Auqaf department for 2015–18 to the departmental audit committee. The committee will present the report before cabinet standing committee for finance and development after review.

The meeting endorsed the decisions made with regard to legislation over Ruet-e-Hilal Bill, 2019 and approved the appointment of Prof. Dr Shaukat Pervaiz as Rector University of Faisalabad. Appointment of Prof. Dr Syed-ul-Hassan Chishti as VC University of Sialkot, amendments in Punjab Forensic Science Agency (Appointment and Conditions of Service) Rules, 2014 and annual report of Punjab Commission on the Status of Women was also approved.

Cabinet approved 4-week long mandatory 30th MCMC training of provincial civil service officers at NSPP. The meeting further endorsed the decisions made in the 37th cabinet meeting, 44th and 45th meetings of cabinet standing committee for finance and development and the decisions made in 36th, 37th, 38th and 39th meetings of cabinet standing committee for legislation.