The Punjab Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, on Tuesday approved a series of major reforms, including the provision of lifetime pensions to widows of government employees and the resumption of public examinations for 5th and 8th grades.

The decisions were taken during the 28th meeting of the provincial cabinet, which approved a 130-point agenda covering governance, education, labour rights, infrastructure, and digital transformation.

The cabinet approved the official administration of assessments for grade 5 and formal exams for grade 8 students in public schools. In a move aimed at supporting families of public servants, it also granted lifelong pensions to the widows of government employees.

In a significant labour welfare initiative, the cabinet approved the construction of 1,220 flats for industrial workers in Sundar, Kasur, and Taxila. These will be allotted through balloting.

CM Maryam Nawaz rejected the proposal to charge workers for the flats and ordered immediate steps to begin construction of an additional 3,000 units.

To improve labour rights, the government approved a standard minimum wage of Rs40,000 for workers across 102 skilled and semi-skilled categories. The cabinet also passed the Punjab Occupational Safety and Health Rules 2024, aimed at protecting workers in high-risk sectors.

CM Maryam directed the Labour Department to establish an enforcement force to ensure implementation, particularly for sewerage and construction workers.

The cabinet praised the efforts of Rescue 1122 during recent floods and announced a cash reward of Rs50,000 for each official who served during emergency operations.

It also approved Rs2.6 billion in funds for flood-affected communities, to be disbursed through the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).

The meeting also approved a Rs2 billion bailout grant for Quaid-e-Azam University and directed the university to submit a plan for long-term financial self-reliance. For the appointment of vice chancellors, the cabinet endorsed market-based hiring and set a new performance threshold, requiring candidates to secure at least 80% in evaluations.

In a move to promote investment, the cabinet approved the launch of an online application system for establishing petrol pumps. The new process reduces the documentation requirement from 16 to just six, and investors will now be able to obtain NOCs through an online portal.

The cabinet also greenlit the implementation of an AI-based traffic management system, which will be rolled out across Punjab within 90 days.

Alongside this, the Axle Load Management System will be implemented to regulate heavy transport.

Approvals were also granted for the expansion of WASA operations, with new offices to be established in five divisions and further rollout planned in 13 additional cities.

The cabinet also approved paid internships for nurses at public hospitals and sanctioned new high-tech tractor assembly units as part of the chief minister’s mechanisation programme.

In the prison sector, CM Maryam ordered the establishment of industries within jails, where inmates would receive wages for labour. A third-party monitoring system will also be introduced to ensure transparency and oversight.

Additionally, the cabinet allowed three new appointments in the Walled City Authority and relaxed recruitment restrictions for the Punjab Charities Commission. It also called for strict monitoring of audit reports across departments and stressed timely action.

CM Maryam concluded the meeting by emphasising that enforcement must match legislation.

“It’s not enough to make laws — we must ensure they are implemented at every level. The lives of poor workers are valuable, and their protection is our duty,” she said.