LAHORE   -  The caretaker Punjab cabinet on Monday took several important de­cisions as it granted approval to in­crease minimum wage for the work­ers to Rs 32,000 and incentives for the disabled and the elderly persons. 

The 25th session of the provin­cial cabinet convened at the South Punjab Secretariat in Multan, was presided over by the caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi who directed strict enforcement of this decision to provide substantial re­lief to the labor force. 

Furthermore, the cabinet ex­tended significant benefits to the disabled, elderly, and students by allowing them to travel free of charge on the metro bus service and the Orange Line metro train. Moreover, the cabinet endorsed the recommendations of the com­mittee pertaining to the admission policy for the 2023-24 session in government medical and dental colleges. A cabinet committee was established to tackle the issue of smog, and the chief minister em­phasized the need for effective measures in this regard. 

The cabinet also greenlit the launch of a one-billion-rupee en­dowment fund aimed at support­ing journalists and their families. The chief minister instructed sec­retaries to conduct field visits on Wednesdays to ensure the proper execution of various initiatives.

Also, the cabinet was given a comprehensive briefing on ma­jor development projects in South Punjab, encompassing the annual development program, road re­pair, and maintenance schemes, as well as the Lahore-Sahiwal-Ba­hawalnagar motorway and Multan ring road projects. The chief min­ister urged expedited progress on these vital projects in South Pun­jab. Furthermore, decisions were made to entrust the Punjab Health Facilities Management Company (PHFMC) with the responsibility of making dispensaries operational within the premises of the high courts in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Ba­hawalpur, and Multan. The cabinet also resolved to expand Punjab’s educational landscape through the school adoption program.

Other decisions included con­tract extensions for employees of the Violence Against Women Cen­ter in Multan, the appointment of a chairman and member for the LDA Commission, and the transfer of management of Haji Abdul Qa­yyum Teaching Hospital Sahiwal from the Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education Department to the Primary & Secondary Health Department. Furthermore, the cabinet approved provincial poli­cies aimed at safeguarding the na­tionwide network of oil pipelines and finalized the names of individ­uals to be awarded the Quaid-e-Azam Police Medal and President Police Medal. Lastly, the establish­ment of the Punjab Mental Health Authority under the Punjab Men­tal Health (Amendment) Act 2014 was also approved. The meeting was attended by provincial minis­ters, advisors, the Chief Secretary, IG Police, and other officials.