Punjab CM forms cabinet committee for privatization of govt properties.

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi constituted a cabinet committee on privatisation, here on Thursday. The committee would submit its recommendations after considering privatisation of government properties worth more than Rs 100 million.

Provincial Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Cooperatives, Environment Protection Muhammad Basharat Raja would be the convener of the committee, while Finance Minister Mohsin Khan Leghari, Excise and Taxation Minister Sardar Asif Nakai and Revenue Minister Nawabzada Mansoor Ahmed Khan were nominated as member.

Chief Secretary and SMBR [senior member Board of Revenue] have also been nominated as ex-officio members. The Punjab chief secretary issued a notification for formation of the privatization committee. Punjab Ehsaas programme being extended to facilitate people: Punjab Ehsaas Programme Chairperson Dr Sania Nishtar met Chief Minister Punjab Chaudhry Parvez Elahi and former federal minister Moonis Elahi at the Chief Minister's Office on Thursday.

It was decided in the meeting to expand the scope of the Ehsaas programme in Punjab. Approving the increase in the monthly subsidy per family under the Ehsaas Ration Discount Programme, the CM said that under the programme, deserving families would be able to buy flour, ghee and pulses at 40 per cent cheaper compared with the market.

While approving the doubling of the per capita amount of food for children, girls and elderly living in welfare institutions, managed by the Social Welfare Department, the CM said that in order to improve the quality of food items in welfare institutions, he increased per capita amount of food for the residents. By increasing the per capita amount of food, such people would get quality and abundant food, the chief minister added.

The Ehsaas bill would be presented in the Punjab Assembly soon, he said and added that it was decided to introduce welfare projects to raise the standard of living of people of the flood-affected areas. He said that scholarships would also be given to pregnant women to prevent stenting.

While issuing orders for preparation of new housing policy for the government employees, the CM said that a five per cent hardship quota would be allocated under the housing...