Punjab Cabinet Approves Major Welfare and Development Initiatives Under CM Maryam Nawaz

LAHORE (RNN TV) — The 28th meeting of the Punjab Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, approved a wide-ranging 130-point agenda focused on public welfare, labor rights, infrastructure, education reforms, and institutional strengthening.

In a landmark decision, the cabinet approved the allotment of 1,220 flats to industrial workers in Labor Complex Sunder, Kasur, and Taxila through a balloting system. CM Maryam Nawaz rejected the proposal to charge workers for these flats and ordered the immediate launch of an initiative to construct an additional 3,000 housing units for laborers.

The cabinet also approved a uniform minimum monthly wage of Rs. 40,000 across 102 worker categories including skilled and semi-skilled laborers. Recognizing the efforts of emergency responders, CM Maryam Nawaz announced a reward of Rs. 50,000 each for Rescue 1122 personnel who performed flood duties.

Significant reforms in education were endorsed, including the reinstatement of government assessments for Grade 5 and official examinations for Grade 8 students. Widows of government employees will now receive lifelong pensions following the cabinet’s approval.

In an innovative move, CM Maryam Nawaz directed the establishment of industries inside prisons, ensuring wages for inmate laborers, alongside a third-party monitoring system to ensure transparency.

For investor facilitation, the cabinet approved a digital application process for setting up petrol pumps—reducing required documents from 16 to 6—and allowing investors to apply for NOCs online.

Further approvals included:

Punjab Occupational Safety and Health Rules 2024 for worker safety.
Enforcement task force within the labor department to ensure compliance with safety laws.
New rules to prevent child labor: “Punjab Restriction on Employment of Children Rules 2024.”
A uniform procedure for appointing treasurers, registrars, and controllers in public and private universities.
VC recruitment to require a minimum of 80% merit marks and inclusion of private-sector candidates.
AI-based traffic management system to be rolled out within 90 days.
Establishment of WASA in 5 new divisions and 13 cities.
Paid internships for nurses in public hospitals.
Massive success of the Kisan Card scheme, disbursing Rs. 93 billion to nearly 690,000 farmers.

Other approved reforms and developments include:

Establishment of high-tech tractor manufacturing plants.
MoUs for wildlife protection and sustainable farming.
Rs. 2.6 billion approved for flood relief via PDMA.
Revisions to multiple recruitment policies across government departments.
Regulatory amendments including Punjab Drug Rules and cement plant NOC timelines.
Launch of Punjab Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority under the 2025 Act.
Approval of Punjab Sugarcane Research & Development Board Act 2025.
Introduction of the Punjab Locum Recruitment Act 2025 for hiring clinical and non-clinical staff.

These decisions reflect the provincial government’s commitment to labor welfare, transparency, infrastructure development, institutional reform, and long-term economic planning under the leadership of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif.

Source: Web Desk