The 9th Provincial Cabinet meeting, presided over by acting Chief Minister of Punjab Mohsin Naqvi, decided to revoke licenses for 56 companies to mine salt that had been granted during the previous administration in violation of rules and regulations. The Punjab Cabinet gave the go-ahead to begin the legal processes necessary to revoke the issued licenses in accordance with the law. To adhere to all rules and regulations regarding license cancellation, a company has been set up.
The meeting was informed while giving briefing that a loss worth billions of rupees was being incurred to the national exchequer by issuing licenses against rules and regulations.
Like-minded companies were being issued licenses without undergoing bidding and open auction procedure. 32 companies were being issued licenses while issuance of licenses to 24 companies is presently lying at the offer stage. The Punjab Cabinet granted approval to make the licenses issuance procedure transparent for the salt mining under which the issuance of licenses for the salt mining will be done through an open auction. Approval was granted for the new amended Rock Salt Policy of Punjab. The Punjab Cabinet also decided to grant a mega relief for the male and female students travelling on the Orange Line Metro Train and Metro Bus Service under which male and female students in uniform will be provided free travel facility on the Orange Line Metro Train and Metro Bus. Caretaker CM Mohsin Naqvi directed the Energy department to undertake steps for energy saving under Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s Energy Conservation Policy. Caretaker CM Mohsin Naqvi directed to reduce used units of electricity in the government departments and further directed the department to implement energy saving policy and sought a report from the Secretaries with regard to the usage of electricity.
Mohsin Naqvi ordered the Civil Secretariat and other departments to function their duties paperless and directed the departments to formulate a comprehensive plan in order to make the departments working paperless. Mohsin Naqvi directed to dispose off the Departmental Summaries in a short period of time. Approval was granted during the meeting to extend the period of service of contract employees of the Information and Communication Technology Cell under the Performance Management System of Specialized HealthCare and Medical Education. A conditional approval was granted to appoint Vice Chancellors, Pro-Vice Chancellors, Controllers and Registrars on the vacant posts of government universities of Punjab with the permission of Election Commission of Pakistan. Approval was granted during the meeting to extend the contract period of the employees of Policy and Strategic Planning Unit of Primary and Secondary Health Care. Approval was granted during the meeting to accept the resignation of the Chief Executive Officer Ab Pak Authority Syed Zahid Aziz. Approval was granted during the meeting for the issuance of supplementary grant for the repair and construction of damages being incurred to the rivers and nullahs due to flood during the current financial year. Approval was granted to appoint the Specialists Members/Private Members in the Provincial Quality Control Board and District Quality Control Board. Endorsement of Seven National Parks was given under the Punjab Protected Areas Act 2020. Approval was granted for the reissuance of funds being unutilised under the financial year 2021-22 for the Emine Erdogan Danish Care Girls School in Baseera Town Muzaffargarh. Approval was granted for the issuance of reports of the Auditor General of Pakistan about the Punjab government’s financial year accounts for the year 2018-2019, 2019-2020, 2020-2021 and 2021-2022. Provincial Caretaker Ministers, Chief Secretary, Inspector General of Police and concerned officials attended the meeting.
