The 29th meeting of the Punjab Cabinet was held under the chairmanship of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz in which a 171-point agenda was discussed in detail. The meeting gave final approval to the relief package for flood victims, under which checks of relief money will be issued to the victims from October 17.
According to the package, Rs 1 million will be given to the heirs of the deceased, Rs 5 million to those with permanent disabilities, while Rs 3 million will be given to victims with minor disabilities. Financial assistance will also be provided for damage to houses — Rs 1 million for complete destruction of pucca houses and Rs 3 million for partial damage, while Rs 5 million will be given for collapse of katcha houses and Rs 1.5 million for partial damage.
Similarly, compensation of Rs 500,000 will be given for the loss of large livestock, Rs 50,000 for small animals and Rs 20,000 per acre for 25% loss of crops. It was also decided to waive off water and agricultural income tax in 2,855 villages of Punjab.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz paid tribute to all the institutions and teams that served during the floods, while in recognition of the services of Civil Defense volunteers, she announced a monthly increase of Rs 15,000 in their salaries.
The Chief Minister said that “Punjab faced the worst floods in history, but the people and institutions served with unparalleled determination.” He added that every decision for the development of the province is being taken in accordance with the public interest.
Furthermore, the meeting also decided to reduce the rate of solar power by Rs 2 per unit, increase the tax on rent-a-car service to 15% and stop tax on beauty parlors.
The cabinet approved the recruitment of 8084 teaching interns across Punjab, creation of 379 district judges and 872 civil judges in the judiciary.
The Chief Minister clarified: “The cabinet is not for sitting in offices, but to share the sorrows of the people.”
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