The second meeting of the Cabinet Standing Committee on Finance and Development was held today in the Chief Minister's Office under the chair of Chief Minister Punjab Chaudhry Pervez Elahi. In the meeting presided over by Parvez Elahi, it was announced to increase the conveyance allowance for the blind, dump and other disabled employees. It was approved to increase the conveyance allowance for disabled government employees from 2 thousand rupees to 6 thousand rupees. The upgradation of posts of music teachers and Braille teachers including disabled employees was also approved. In the meeting, the extension of 3 months in the employment period of 664 disabled daily wages employees was approved as well. Chief Minister Pervez Elahi directed the formulation of a comprehensive policy to permanently solve the problem of disabled daily wage employees and in this context, a committee was formed under the chairmanship of Provincial Finance Minister Mohsin Laghari to devise a policy. The Chief Minister directed that the committee should present its recommendations in the next meeting and the Secretary Special Education Dept should visit departmental institutions and submit a report. Disabled employees should be given postings at institutions near their native areas. In the meeting, it was approved to give one month's basic salary as a risk allowance to the staff of Rescue 1122 and rich tributes were paid to the staff of Rescue 1122 engaged in the rescue activities and rehabilitation of the victims in the flood-affected areas. Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi and the participants appreciated the performance of Rescue 1122 and the role played by its staff.
A special relief package was also approved for the flood victims. It was approved to increase the amount of financial assistance from 8 lakh rupees to 10 lakh rupees for the family members of the deceased. The financial assistance as compensation for the damage caused by the collapse of the concrete house was increased from 1 lakh rupees to 4 lakh rupees. The amount of financial assistance in the case of the mud house was increased from 40 thousand rupees to 2 lakh rupees to repair the damage, while in case of loss of a large animal, financial assistance of 75 thousand rupees will be given to the affected family. The flood victims will be rehabilitated with the money collected through the flood relief fund, the CM said. In the meeting, the release of funds was approved for building residences for doctors and medical staff at Wazirabad Institute of Cardiology and the entering into an agreement with Indus Hospital was allowed to functionalise the 200-bed Mother and Child Hospital and Nursing College in Mianwali. In the meeting, the release of one and a half billion rupees to buy vaccines for the prevention of lumpy skin disease in animals and the release of funds of 9 billion rupees for the maintenance and repair of roads was approved. The construction and repair of roads should be started on a priority basis in the flood-affected areas, the CM directed. The release of 3 billion 40 crore rupees to run environment-friendly buses and the establishment of the Government Graduate College for Girls in Sikandria Colony Sodiwal Lahore was approved along-with restructuring of the water management wing of the Agriculture Dept. Senior Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal, Finance Minister Sardar Mohsin Leghari, former Principal Secretary to Chief Minister GM Sikandar, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mohammad Khan Bhatti, Inspector General of Police, Chairman Planning and Development, Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Secretary Services, Secretaries of various departments and senior officials attended the meeting.