The Punjab Government has spent Rs 14.2 billion on projects for women’s welfare during the current fiscal year, Planning and Development Board Secretary Punjab Arif Anwar Balouch said on Sunday at the concluding session of a two-day workshop on gender responsive budgeting.
Balouch said the huge amount spent on the welfare of women would help bring a change in the society, especially in the lives of women folk.
He said the government was working on a comprehensive plan for the welfare of women and to protect their social, economic and legal rights.
“It has been made compulsory for all the government institutions to give 33 percent of the seats to women in all committees and task forces.
A quota of 33 percent has also been fixed for the female members of Punjab Public Service Commission,” he added.
The secretary said these steps were aimed at women empowerment and to provide women with their due status in the society.
He also highlighted the day care centres being set up by the government to make matters easier for the working women of the province.
He said the requirement of filing an application for transfer of land for female heirs was also being abolished.
“The step is aimed at controlling the injustice women have to face during division and transfer of property,” he said.
“The concerned revenue officers will be responsible for transferring land to the legal heirs, especially the women, after the death of the owner of the land. No application will be required,” he said.
SPRS Project Manager Zaman Wattoo, Cheif Economist Punjab Capt (r) Muhammad Yousaf, senior officials of Industrial Relations Institute Lahore and others also spoke on the occasion.
