Maryam Fixes Rs37,000 Minimum Wage, Greenlights Worker Welfare Initiatives

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has mandated a Rs37,000 minimum wage for laborers and approved a series of welfare projects aimed at improving living standards for workers across the province. During a high-level meeting, the CM underscored the administration’s commitment to prioritizing workers’ rights and enhancing their access to essential services.

Emphasizing education, Maryam Nawaz announced special initiatives to support academically gifted children of laborers. “Talented students from working-class families will receive state-backed opportunities for advanced education,” she stated, stressing the need to empower future generations through learning.

The CM also instructed officials to revise labor regulations to strengthen protections for workers. “Those who work diligently are beloved to Allah, and we must never neglect their dignity,” she remarked, pledging to position Punjab as a model province for labor welfare. “Ensuring fair wages, healthcare, employment security, and housing is the government’s duty,” she added.

Key projects approved during the session include the development of dedicated labor housing communities and upgrades to social security hospitals. Provincial Labor Minister Faisal Ayub Khokhar was tasked with presenting a detailed roadmap for these initiatives.

To bolster healthcare access, Maryam Nawaz greenlit the launch of Maryam Nawaz Wellness Centres in Lahore and Rawalpindi/Islamabad. These facilities will offer preliminary health screenings for workers, with critical cases referred to specialized hospitals. Additionally, a 200-bed Rehmatul-lil-Alameen Cardiology Centre will be constructed on Lahore’s Defence Road, catering specifically to laborers’ cardiac care needs. A new 50-bed Social Security Hospital in Rahim Yar Khan was also approved to address medical demands in the region.

The measures reflect the government’s broader push to integrate social welfare with economic justice, aiming to uplift Punjab’s workforce through systemic reforms.