BAHAWALPUR-In a first-ever meeting, the Punjab Cabinet will meet here at Bahawalpur on Saturday (today) without a single point related to the creation of South Punjab Province in its 12-point agenda.
Issues related to the Southern Punjab have totally be neglected in this "historic" cabinet meeting being held at the conference room of Islamia University Bahawalpur.
According to sources, it is for the first time in the history of Punjab that a cabinet meeting is being held outside the provincial capital. Earlier, judges of the Lahore High Court had taken oath in the LHC Bench Bahawalpur, which was also for the first time in the LHC history that judges were sworn-in outside Principal seat in Lahore.
Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, belongs to South Punjab, came to power with the slogan of creation of South Punjab province. The PTI government has been advocating and claiming the creation of south Punjab province since the general election campaign. Agenda of the first-ever cabinet meeting has surprised many as there is nothing relates to South Punjab province and the establishment of its proposed secretariat.
According to the meeting agenda, the cabinet will discuss draft Punjab Water Policy and formulation of provincial labour deletion policy. The cabinet will take up the matter of amendment to the Punjab Government Rules of Business, 2011.
Allocation of vehicles to the Provincial Cabinet and rationalization of official vehicles will also be discussed in the meeting.
Handing over of control of lower portion of Chashma Right Bank Canal (CRBC) and supply of full share of water from the CRBC to Punjab will also be discussed.
The cabinet will discuss different options regarding enhancement of salary of doctors working in the Health Departments. Establishment of South Punjab Forest Company (SPFC) is also on the agenda.
The cabinet will also discuss the proposal by the DHA Rawalpindi, DHA Islamabad; Bahria Town, Ltd, Habib Rafique (JV Partner) for grant of concession for the construction of operation and maintenance of Dadhocha Dam in Rawalpindi on a Build Operate Transfer (BOT) basis - in line with the Punjab government's Public Private Partnership Arrangement.
The constitution of a search committee and finalization of eligibility criteria for selection and appointment of vice chancellor will also be taken up at the meeting.
The Annual Performance Report 2017 of Punjab Power Development Board (PPDB), Energy Department and Audit Reports on the accounts of District Management Organisation Punjab for the Year 2017-18 and Accounts of District Health and Education Authorities in Punjab for the year 2017-18 will also be discussed.
The Divisional Commissioner and Regional Police Officer Bahawalpur will brief the cabinet members on law and order and development profile of the division.
The meeting with MNAs, MPAs, President and General Secretary of the PTI and Chairman District Council of Bahawalpur Division, Office-Bearers of the Bahawalpur High Court and District Bar Association and Office Bearers of Bahawalpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry is also included in the schedule of the Punjab CM.