Punjab Increases Penalty for Child Begging

The Punjab cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, approved multiple initiatives during its meeting on Thursday, including the dispatch of medicines, goods, and a mobile healthcare unit to Parachinar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

“The people of Parachinar are our own, and we cannot leave them alone in their time of need,” the CM stated.

Key Approvals and Updates:

1. Healthcare and Agriculture:
   • Approval of funds for free medicines in hospitals.
   • Maintenance of 2024-25 sugarcane development cess rates for the crushing season.
   • Agricultural inputs worth Rs30 billion were purchased using the Kisan Card, achieving 100% wheat cultivation targets.
   • Distribution of 4,500 tractors under the Green Tractor Scheme, with 1,000 already delivered.
   • No change in DAP fertilizer rates in Punjab.
2. Green and Infrastructure Projects:
   • Completion of Pakistan’s first green building project.
   • Approval of Phase-III of the Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar program, with a directive to ensure continued funding.
   • Installation of automatic umbrellas in the courtyard of Data Darbar.
3. Social Welfare and Legal Amendments:
   • Amendment to the Punjab Vagrancy Ordinance 1958, increasing the punishment for exploiting children in begging to 10 years.
   • Establishment of the Council of Rights for Persons with Disabilities.
   • Approval of a Constitutional Amendment Bill 2024 to include nutrition as a basic human right.
4. Tourism and Cultural Heritage:
   • Development of Qila Kahna Qasim Bagh, Multan, for tourism and cultural preservation.
5. Education:
   • Approval of the School Management Council Policy 2024, including a financial authority increase to Rs2.5 million for constructing toilet blocks in schools.
   • Construction of 1,100 new rooms in Punjab schools and directives for providing furniture.
   • Establishment of the Punjab Education Curriculum Training and Assessment Authority.
6. Rescue and Environmental Initiatives:
   • Relaxation of recruitment rules for Rescue 1122 staff to expand emergency services.
   • Creation of an Advisory Committee for Laboratory Certification under the Punjab Environment Protection Act.
   • Reconstitution of the Protected Areas Management Board and the Punjab Wildlife Management Board.
7. Other Initiatives:
   • Amendments to the Punjab Motor Vehicle Ordinance 1965 for axle load management.
   • Approval of leasing terms for government land.
   • Promotion of shrimp farming and aquaculture for local development and export.

CM Maryam Nawaz’s China Visit:

Sharing insights from her visit to China, the CM praised the country’s development model, emphasizing its harmony, discipline, and efficient governance. She revealed that 60 major Chinese companies expressed interest in investing in Punjab, envisioning a future where the province mirrors China’s progress.