Lahore, September 28 (Online): Provincial Minister for Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Social Welfare Raja Basharat on Monday said that Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar had a vision to legislate for the betterment of the common man.
Keeping this vision in view, the Punjab Assembly had passed 63 important bills in 24 sessions during last two years.
Chairperson Punjab Women Protection Authority Kaniz Fatima, Law Secretary and Information Secretary were also present.
Raja Basharat said that the Punjab Assembly, despite having the largest opposition in history, has enacted the most legislation in the country.
“We have amended the Sugar Control Act of 1950 to stop the years-long exploitation of farmers by the sugar mafia. Now the sugar mills will run on time and the farmer will get the full price of sugarcane on time,”
He said that Punjab Ravi Urban Development Act would prove to be a game changer in economic and social terms.
The Law Minister said that the new Local Government Act of Punjab would transfer powers to the lower level and under it the Punjab government was going to hold the largest local
bodies elections in the history of the country.
“We have changed the centuries-old laws of cooperatives and prisons into truly people-friendly,” he said.
Now the properties of Punjab Cooperatives Liquidation Board worth trillions of rupees can be put to better use by relinquishing illegal possessions. He said that on the directive of the Chief Minister, the government departments had been directed to formulate their rules within six months of the passage of the respective law.
He revealed that some departments did not make rules even after 15 years. Raja Basharat said that Punjab Police as well as Rescue 1122 would get new vehicles, additional funds, allowances and benefits.
He further said that all government measures, including the struggle against Covid-19, were given legal protection on the orders of the Chief Minister, while the credit for the law of production order goes to Usman Bazdar and Speaker PA Chaudhry Pervez Elahi for legislation on production orders. He said that during Covid 19, financial assistance of Rs. 124 million was given to Punjab Bar Council, Lahore High Court Bar and sub-bars including DG Khan District Bar.
Describing the performance of the Department of Social Welfare and Baitul Mal, the provincial minister said that Rs. 230 million had been allocated for the construction of shelter homes in more cities after Lahore.
Raja Basharat said that Punjab Women Protection Authority was formed in 2016, Shahbaz Sharif himself became its chairman and did nothing while we restored the institution by appointing a female head and made it useful for the affected women.
