- Cabinet also approves Punjab Autism School and Resource Centre Act 2025, transfer of land to set up Nawaz Sharif Medical City in Lahore and Punjab Senior Citizens Welfare Bill 2025
LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Tuesday announced a 30 to 40 percent reduction in power tariff for Punjab’s power companies to provide maximum relief to the people, making Punjab the first province to voluntarily reduce electricity tariff.
The decision was made at the 26th meeting of the Punjab Cabinet, held with Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz in the chair, which considered 101 agenda items.
According to a statement issued after the meeting, the Chief Minister approved a 30 to 40 percent reduction in the tariff for Punjab’s power companies, including Quaid-e-Azam Thermal Power Private Limited and Punjab Thermal Power Private Limited.
Addressing the meeting, the Punjab CM said that people had reposed their confidence in the leadership and government of PML-N and extended congratulations to the winning party’s candidate in the Sambrial by-election.
The participants were apprised that the landslide victory in 80 percent rural provincial constituencies was the manifestation of people, especially the farmers’, complete confidence in the policies of the Punjab government, adding that a large number of youth and women cast their votes in favour of PML-N during the Sambrial by-election.
The Punjab CM appreciated the efforts of Provincial Minister Zeeshan Rafique and Special Assistant Zeeshan Malik.
The chief minister congratulated the Minister for Health, the Minister for Communications, and relevant secretaries for ensuring improvements in the conditions of hospitals and roads in Layyah, directing necessary steps for the establishment of a medical college in Layyah.
The Cabinet also approved a grant-in-aid of Rs400 million for the Punjab Journalist Housing Foundation, which the latter will pay RUDA for the land of Lahore Press Club Housing Scheme Phase II.
CM Maryam said that a huge package is going to be launched for the wheat farmers, adding that payment of Rs5,000 per acre subsidy has been provided to 514,000 wheat farmers so far across Punjab.
“Another 500,000 wheat farmers will be provided the subsidy amount after the verification process while Rs63 billion was provided in the second phase through Kisan Card, and farmers have purchased fertilizer worth Rs18 billion,” the meeting briefed.
The cabinet approved the Chief Minister Wheat Program 2025. The establishment of Punjab’s first “Air Punjab Private Limited Company” was approved. She set a target of starting Air Punjab within one year. She directed to take immediate steps for closing vaping centres in the province. She directed to ensure “safety gear” for labourers and workers and assigned the Labour Department a target of implementing safety SOPs for workers within a month.
The cabinet also approved the Punjab Autism School and Resource Centre Lahore Act 2025. The chief minister directed to admit all sick children to the autism center without any discrimination. The cabinet approved the transfer of land to establish Pakistan’s first Nawaz Sharif Medical City in Lahore. The medical district will have blood diseases, bone marrow, and all other specialized centers on five thousand kanals of land. Parks, hotels, a food court, a play area and an urban forest will be established in the Nawaz Sharif Medical District. A globally renowned institution has been contacted for the establishment of a children’s hospital in the Nawaz Sharif Medical District.
The Chief Minister has set a target of providing essential facilities in all schools across Punjab. Classrooms, toilet blocks, furniture, and laboratories will be built in every school worth Rs40 billion. The provincial cabinet approved the provision of 1100 interest-free electric taxis in Lahore. The meeting approved Punjab’s first child protection policy to determine the responsibilities of institutions to ensure the safety of children. Special grant-in-aid was approved for the heirs of those killed in the attack in the Attock District Courts. Eco-tourism projects were approved in Changa Manga Wildlife, Lal Sohanra, National Park.
The cabinet approved the construction, repair and upgradation of bus shelters in Lahore, besides approving building depots for electric buses at Thokar Niaz Baig and Railway Station. The meeting approved a Rs100 billion Punjab CM’s Special Financing Facility to assist flour mills and food grains license holders. The implementation of the Electronic Warehouse Reset System (EWR) was approved to facilitate farmers. The meeting approved the presentation of the annual report of the Punjab Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (P-TEVTA) for 2022-23 in the Punjab Assembly.
The proposal to delegate the powers of sub-registrars to Tehsildars and Naib Tehsildars was approved. The formation of agencies to be established under the Punjab Road Safety Authority Act 2023 was approved. The cabinet approved the Measurement Book in the Public Works Department. The Punjab Senior Citizens Welfare Bill 2025 was approved.
The cabinet approved the monitoring and evaluation allowance for the officers of the Directorate. Approval was given for the formation of Boards of Management for Gujranwala Medical College, Gujranwala, and Sahiwal Medical College, Sahiwal, under the Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education department.
