Cabinet approves various drafts, laws ahead of govt's 100 days.

LAHORE -- The Punjab cabinet on Friday took up a heavy agenda approving various legislative businesses on the recommendations of the cabinet's standing committee on legislation. The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf's (PTI) Punjab government is completing its first 100 days in a week.

The cabinet retained the ban on recruitments on posts from BPS-1 to 15. Similar to the previous practice, respective administrative departments will have to move summaries for relaxation of the ban in specific cases after which the cabinet committee will present its recommendations. Health and education departments will be permitted to recruit on priority, the cabinet decided.

The Punjab Public Service Commission, however, will continue recruiting candidates regularly in BPS-16 and above.

The cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Usman Buzdar here on Friday, approved draft law for granting concession on property tax in six computerised districts as well as policy on relocation/shifting of sugar mills in the province. It also approved Punjab Industrial Policy 2018 as well as draft Punjab Occupational Safety and Health Act 2018, Punjab Domestic Workers Act 2018 and Punjab Labour Policy 2018.

The cabinet also approved the draft act for establishment of Namal Institute in Mianwali. During the previous government, the Punjab higher education department had kept the act pending.

Approval was also granted to auction 22 luxury vehicles following a suo motu case regarding utilisation of big vehicles by ministers and officers beyond their entitlement. The cabinet, however, decided to retain and provide six bulletproof vehicles to police for security, while 10 luxury vehicles would be placed in the pool. The chief minister directed for constitution of a high-level committee that would devise a unified policy for the allotment of government vehicles.

The cabinet also approved implementation of Health Insurance Programme across the province as well as exemption of Punjab Sales Tax for province-wide implementation of the programme.

Draft amendment to the Punjab Motor Vehicles Rules 1969 under Provincial Motor Vehicles Ordinance 1965 was approved to introduce automated registration card in the province. Drafts of amendments to the Punjab Restaurant Invoice Monitoring System Rules 2015 and Punjab Sales Tax for Service Enforcement Rules 2014 were also approved.

The meeting also accorded approval to leaves for performing Haj and Umrah as well as delegation of powers to grant...