Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has approved the immediate construction of 3,000 residential flats for laborers in industrial areas across the province. During the 28th provincial cabinet meeting, which covered a 130-point agenda, she directed authorities to begin construction without delay. Additionally, 1,220 flats in Sundar, Kasur, and Taxila Labor Complexes will be allotted through a transparent balloting process.
Importantly, Maryam Nawaz rejected any proposal to recover construction costs from the workers and instead called for immediate action to expand housing support. The cabinet also announced a new minimum wage of Rs40,000 for all categories of workers, including skilled and semi-skilled labor. These decisions aim to provide relief and dignity to the province’s working class.
In recognition of recent flood relief efforts, the Chief Minister awarded Rs50,000 to each Rescue 1122 official involved. The cabinet also approved government-led assessments for class 5 and board examinations for class 8 students. Furthermore, lifelong pensions for the widows of government employees were approved as part of expanded social protections.
To improve prison conditions, the cabinet decided to launch industries inside jails, allowing prisoners to work and earn monthly wages. A third-party monitoring system will also be introduced to ensure transparency and accountability. In a major move to attract investment, an online NOC system for setting up petrol pumps was approved, reducing required documents from 16 to just 6.
Additionally, the cabinet passed the Occupational Safety and Health Rules 2024, with strict directives to protect workers, especially those in sewerage and construction. The Labor Department will create a special enforcement unit to ensure compliance. Maryam Nawaz emphasized that passing laws alone isn’t enough; full implementation must follow.
To combat child labor, the cabinet approved the draft for Punjab Restructuring on Employment of Children Rules 2024. Other key decisions include setting a uniform procedure for hiring top university officials, approving 80% passing marks for Vice Chancellors, and implementing AI-based traffic and road management systems. WASAs will also be set up in five new divisions and 13 more cities for better water and sanitation services.