Lahore,
“Don’t increase water charges for hydropower projects,” directed Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif to the authorities concerned while chairing fourth meeting of the Standing Committee of the Cabinet on Finance and Development (SCCFD). She added,”Though increasing the charges will increase revenue, but it may increase the price of electricity, so I will not approve.”
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif also directed the Local Government Department to reduce proposed sanitation charges for the solid waste management outsourcing model by more than 50%. She was briefed, “Punjab has 19.85 million residential units and 2 million commercial units. It was decided to impose sanitation charges of Rs.300 on up to 5 marla house and Rs.500 on 10 marla house. However, in rural areas, Rs 200 will be imposed on up to 10 marla house and Rs 500 on houses larger than 10 marla.
SCCFD approved release of PSDP 2023-24 funds out of Rs.685 million block allocation for the construction of 2 roads, including a 123 km long road from Lower Topa Murree via Chowk Pandori to Kotli Sattian and a 47 km long road from Salam to Sargodha via Bhalwal Ajnala.
Approval of Funds for Green Pakistan Programme was also granted by SCCFD, besides approving allowance for Accounts Group member of Punjab Revenue Authority Appellate Tribunal.
SCCFD also approved to materialise Chief Minister’s promise of sending for Hajj 10 women living in old age home, and approved funds worth Rs 20 million for the purpose. Madam Chief Minister said, “I will personally see off the women going for Hajj. “SCCFD in its meeting also approved to include the Sports Complex Gaushala Lahore Project in the Annual Development Plan 2023-24, besides the inclusion of PC-II as a supplementary project for Feasibility and Design Consultancy Services of Thalian to Sangjani Rawalpindi Ring Road Phase-II.
Approval was also given to transfer 400 water filtration plants to solar energy in Lahore and Faisalabad. Installation of solar systems for the filtration plants, along with their operations and management for 10 years was approved in the meeting.
SCCFD approved to include in the annual development program 2023-24 a program for the construction of check posts on the borders of Punjab. Service charges for PITB were also approved for the services provided on mobile application ePay Punjab. A service charge of Rs 100 will be applicable on the payment of sales tax and Rs 15 on other transactions. It was briefed in the meeting that since 2019 so far, 5.4 lakh transactions have been made through ePay Punjab. The meeting was also briefed that an access road will be constructed from Ferozepur Road to Garments City at a cost of Rs 306 million.
Senior Provincial Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb and Finance Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rahman attended the meeting. Chief Secretary, Chairman Planning and Development Board, Secretaries Finance, Law, I&C, Information and Culture, Chairman Punjab Information Technology Board and other relevant officers were also present in the meeting.
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