Punjab cabinet approves key reforms in arms, housing, agriculture & healthcare

Other projects approved in the meeting include Apna Chhat, Apna Ghar initiative, Chief Minister Green Tractor program, and children’s heart surgery program

LAHORE: Punjab Provincial Cabinet met today in Lahore with Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz in the chair. The session saw the approval of numerous initiatives aimed at improving the socio-economic conditions in Punjab, focusing on housing, agriculture, healthcare, and law enforcement.

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Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz formally acknowledged the Apna Chhat, Apna Ghar initiative. The scheme, aimed at providing affordable housing, was given a substantial boost as the Cabinet approved a uniform front design for the project. The ambitious plan envisions the construction of 500,000 houses over the next five years, with a strong emphasis on providing convenience to citizens.

For the first time in Pakistan, housing loans will be granted based on a copy of the plot ownership paper and the computerised national identity card (CNIC). The monthly installment for a Rs 1.5 million loan will be Rs 14,000, payable over a period of nine years. In a symbolic gesture, the Chief Minister instructed ministers to personally pay the first instalments of these loans.

In a push towards agricultural development, the Cabinet greenlit the Chief Minister’s Green Tractor Programme, approving 9,500 tractors under the scheme. Landowners with plots of up to 50 acres will benefit from a Rs 1 million subsidy per tractor.

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The programme is set to launch on September 20, with a draw scheduled for October 20. The Chief Minister expressed her goal of providing 30,000 tractors to farmers, underscoring her commitment to supporting Punjab’s agricultural sector.

On the healthcare front, the Cabinet approved the Chief Minister’s Children’s Heart Surgery Programme. This initiative, along with a newly launched effort targeting children’s mental health disorders, reflects the government’s focus on improving healthcare for vulnerable populations. The meeting also saw approval for the establishment of Punjab’s first life insurance company, based in Lahore, which is expected to serve as a model for similar projects in other provinces.

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In a move to tackle illegal activities like possession of unlicensed weapons and kite flying, the Cabinet approved harsher punishments and increased fines on such activities. An amendment to the Punjab Arms Ordinance of 1965 was passed, making offences under this law non-bailable.