The 34th meeting of the provincial cabinet, held under the chair of Caretaker Chief Minister Punjab Mohsin Naqvi at his office on Monday, greenlit revisions to the Motor Vehicles Rules of 1969, extending legal recognition of motorcycle-rickshaws.
These rickshaws will now be categorized as three-wheelers, with the regional transport authority designated as a special registration authority for the temporary registration of existing motorcycle-rickshaws. Following temporary registration, motorcycle rickshaws will undergo a four-month window for specific size and redesign modifications. Subsequently, they can obtain a registration number from the excise department upon the issuance of a fitness certificate. The CM emphasized the need to streamline the registration process and said the forms should be prepared in Urdu. The huddle also sanctioned the permanent fortification of the infrastructure for 18 major roads, allocating toll revenue for their maintenance. Additionally, a decision was made to ring-fence the toll amounts for these roads. Approval was granted to confer medical institution status upon the Dera Ghazi Khan Cardiology Institute under the Punjab Medical and Health Institutions Act of 2003, and an administrative committee was endorsed for its management. Various measures, including a one-billion-rupee operational expenditure, were given the green light for the establishment of a nursing college in Recep Tayyip Erdogan Hospital, Muzaffargarh, with the chief minister urging the prompt commencement of classes. The meeting also resolved to convert the 180-bed Rehmatul Lil Alameen block into the Sahiwal Institute of Cardiology, endorsing its imminent functionality. The meeting further approved the Data Darbar revamping project, amendments to the police rules, and the implementation of pay scales for 2023, aligning them with those of the federal government. Provincial ministers, advisers, ACS, IGP, advocate general, senior member board of revenue, chairman Planning & Development, provincial secretaries and senior officials attended the meeting.
