The Punjab cabinet on Friday approved a series of major welfare, employment and development initiatives, including the launch of the “Apna Khet, Apna Rozgar Programme”, expansion of the “Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar” scheme to joint families, and a comprehensive safety plan for the upcoming Basant Festival.

Chaired by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz in Lahore, the cabinet approved the allotment of government agricultural land to 50,000 individuals under the new “Apna Khet, Apna Rozgar” initiative, aimed at promoting farming and generating livelihoods for landless citizens.

To create employment opportunities for youth, the cabinet sanctioned new posts in multiple departments, including 1,000 positions in the Crime Control Department, 216 in the Excise Department, and 980 in the Murree Tourism Police.

The meeting also approved the expansion of electric bus services to the tehsil level.

Under the plan, 1,000 new green buses with a cashless payment system will be procured to improve public transport and extend urban-style facilities to rural areas.

Addressing the cabinet, the chief minister said the provincial government was committed to ensuring that public services and facilities reached citizens from cities to villages.

She added that reforms were also approved to ease business laws, promote tourism and culture, amend the Motor Vehicle Ordinance to allow driving permits for 16 to 18-year-olds, and strengthen law and order.

In a separate meeting on the “Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar” programme, CM Maryam announced that families living in joint households would now be eligible for interest-free loans to expand their homes.

She said plots would be allotted through balloting in the first phase, including 194 in Jhelum, 129 in Kasur, 84 in Faisalabad and 79 in Lodhran.

Meanwhile, chairing a review meeting on the government-sponsored three-day Basant Festival, the chief minister said all relevant departments were working to ensure public safety.

The festival is scheduled to be held in Lahore from the 6th to the 8th of next month.

She said the city would be divided into different zones for the event, and motorcycles would not be allowed to enter the Red Zone without protective safety wire. Free safety rods will be provided to one million motorcyclists to protect them from kite strings, while violators involved in illegal kite flying before Basant will face fines of up to Rs2 million.

CM Maryam said a comprehensive traffic and security plan had been finalised to ensure the safe conduct of the festival.