LAHORE – Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif presided over a meeting of the provincial cabinet at Chief Minister’s Secretariat on Saturday that gave approval to the Wheat Procurement Policy 2011, Parks and Horticulture Authority Act 2010, Punjab Semen Quality Control Act 2010 and amendment in Punjab Entertainment Duty Act 1958.
The chief minister said the wheat procurement target of 40 lakh metric tons had been set. He said that the wheat procurement drive would be started from April 20th and 375 procurement centres would be set up in the province. He added that distribution of gunny bags would be started from April 18th and wheat would not be purchased from the middleman.
He said maximum facilities should be provided to the cultivators at procurement centres so that they should not face any difficulty. He said out of 12 lakh metric tons of wheat exported from the country, eight lakh tons had been exported from Punjab. He said the cabinet committee should hold negotiations with the standing committee of Punjab Assembly regarding Punjab Irrigation and Drainage Authority (Amendment) Bill 2008.
The meeting approved the Semen Control Quality Act 2010 under which, besides other measures, the Livestock Breeding Control Unit would also be established. The meeting also gave approval to the Punjab Livestock Breeding Act 2011 by changing the name of Punjab Semen Quality Control Act 2010.
He added the exemption from entertainment duty given anywhere in the province would be continued while entertainment duty on chairlift was being completely withdrawn. However, he said, rate of duty on horse race and musical and fashion shows would be maintained.
