Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar presided over a marathon meeting at his office here on Tuesday in which three monthly performance of different department engaged in social welfare was reviewed. Concerned ministers and secretaries gave detailed briefings to the Chief Minister about the working and performance of their respective departments.
The Chief Minister put up different questions about the performance of Social Welfare, Bait-ul-Maal, Child Protection Bureau, Women Development, Zakat & Usher, Human Rights and Minorities Affairs and Aquaf and Religious Affairs departments and issued directions about different matters to facilitate the needy citizens. The meeting decided to give authority to deputy commissioners for immediate distribution of zakat guzara allowance for helping the people in need. The deputy commissioners will now perform the additional responsibility of administrators of district zakat committees in their respective districts.
Addressing the meeting, Chief Minister said that reliable data should be developed for identification of deserving people and necessary steps should be taken to make the zakat distribution system foolproof. The meeting decided to start a pilot project at Data Darbar to recycle the water used for ablution. Cash machines will be installed at 30 shrines of the province for receiving donations and the devotees will be able to deposit their donations to the machines instead of putting them in the cash boxes. Secretary Aquaf informed that Aquaf Department is going to start a project of online free meal distribution and video sharing of shrines for the expatriates. The Chief Minister directed that a viable formula should be devised for spending money on shrines which is earned through donations and best use of retrieved Aquaf lands and properties should be ensured as well.
A briefing about human rights and religious affairs department was also given and a 10-member committee was constituted for minority empowerment package under the chair of Minister for Religious Affairs. The proposal of fixing admission quota for minorities in government educational institutions was also reviewed. The proposal was submitted about talented students of child protection bureau in Daanish Schools during the briefing of child protection authority. The Chief Minister agreed to this proposal and added that future planning of the children of child protection bureau after 18 years should be done.
The meeting was told that construction of five shelter home buildings will be completed soon in Lahore. The Chief Minister said that work should be done on the Chinese model of prefabricated houses for shelter homes. It was stated in the briefing of social welfare department that community welfare center will be established in Lahore for the welfare of transgender community and they will be provided different facilities including technical education and legal assistance. The proposal of upgrading Dar-ul-Aman in districts as VAWC centers and establishment of women hostel regularity authority was also discussed.
Finance Minister Hasham Jawan Bakht, Women Development Minister Ashfa Riaz, Zakat & Usher Minister Shaukat Ali Lalika, Human Rights Minister Ijaz Alam, Aquaf Minister Saeed-ul-Hassan Shah, Chairman P&D, secretaries of concerned departments, spokesman to CM, SMU Head Fazeel Asif and others attended the meeting.