Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif said on Wednesday the youth were the greatest strength of Pakistan, and the government would ensure that they were gainfully employed and helped in all respects.
He was chairing a meeting to review the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme here. The Prime Minister was briefed about all the features of the Youth Programme. The meeting was informed that so far around half a million feedbacks /suggestions have been received from the general public, of which practicable suggestions have been included in the programme.The Prime Minister’s Youth Programme comprises six schemes, including Qarze-Hassana (Micro Interest-Free Loans), Small Business Loans, Youth Training Scheme, Youth Skills Development Scheme, Provision of Lap-tops and Scheme for Reimbursement of Fee for Students of less developed areas.
Nawaz Sharif directed that 50 per cent loans should be reserved for women in the Micro Interest-Free Loans scheme and the procedure for acquiring loans should be made simple with the shortest possible time for release. Moreover, the Prime Minister directed that youth from less developed areas, including Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir be given priority in these schemes, and 100 per cent transparency and merit be ensured. The Prime Minister was apprised that initially 0.25 million youth would be provided the loans and 100,000 lap-tops would be given under the scheme when launched in January 2014.
He said the government wanted to provide various opportunities to the youth, including skilled education, training, employment and scholarships so that they could contribute positively in all fields. The meeting was attended by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Minister for Information Senator Pervaiz Rashid, Minister of State for Information Technology Mrs Anusha Rehman, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Dr Musadaq Malik, Secretary Finance Dr Waqar Masood Khan and senior officers of the PM Office. -App
