Punjab Government is doing its best for youth:Shahbaz Sharif

Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that the revolutionary programmes initiated by Pakistan Muslim League-N government at a cost of billions of rupees for the youth in Punjab are yielding positive and encouraging results and lakhs of poor, talented, intelligent and unemployed youth are benefitting from these programmes. He said that through these programmes. He said that such programmes as green tractors scheme, laptops, self-employment scheme, buses for colleges, solar panels and bio-gas pilot project have been initiated during the current year. He said that the programmes launched by Muslim League-N government for the youth are also being followed by other provinces, which is a proof of their confidence in the successful programmes of the Punjab government for the youth.

The Chief Minister expressed these views while presiding over a high-level meeting, in which Senator Pervaiz Rashid, Members Provincial Assembly, Ishrat Ashraf, Zaeem Hussain Qadri, Ch. Jaffar Iqbal, Chairman Planning & Development, Secretaries of Industries, Agriculture, Education, Transport and Information departments, Chairman PITB and other concerned officials were present. The Chief Minister said the youth generation has been given a new identity through youth programmes and talented and intelligent youth are being given equal opportunities of progress so that no youth should lag behind in education sector due to paucity of resources. The Chief Minister issued instructions to accelerate the pace of implementation of youth programmes, worth billions of rupees, and directed the concerned authorities to ensure early implementation of these programmes. He said that 20 thousands tractors will be given under Green Tractor Scheme, worth four billion rupees, and a subsidy of two lakh rupees will be given on each tractor. He said that the balloting process for this scheme will be computerized and transparent. He said that assembly members and government servants are not eligible to apply. Secretary Agriculture informed the Chief Minister that 31st August has been fixed as the last date for submission of applications and more than 14 thousand applications have been received so far. The Chief Minister directed that manufacturing companies should be contacted for the timely supply of tractors and ownership letters should be given to the applicants who prove successful in balloting. He said that process of distribution of laser levelers is also been started from the next month which will benefit the cultivators. He said that the process of distribution of more than one lakh laptops among boy and girl students is also being started and the students of evening classes will also be given laptops. The Chief Minister directed authorities concerned that the laptops should be of the latest model and the boy and girl students of seminaries and vocational institutions should also be included in the scheme. The Chief Minister was informed that the process of purchase of laptops is being completed expeditiously and it is hoped that the first consignment of 20 thousand laptops will soon be received by the Punjab government. The Chief Minister said that solar home panels will be provided at a huge cost of two billion rupees while sewing machines will be distributed among the skilled women with a sum of rupees one billion. He said that bio-gas pilot project will also start operating in near future. He said that 200 new buses are being provided to the colleges in the province and the provision of buses will be started from October. Moreover, he said, 1200 buses are being purchased for public transport. The Chief Minister directed that arrangements be made for operating special buses for the residents of poor and backward areas. He said that interest-free small loans worth two billion rupees are being distributed under Chief Minister’s Employment Scheme and the loan from 15 to 50 thousand rupees will be given for small business. He welcomed distribution of loans through mosques, Imam Bargahs and churches and said that the ratio of repayment of loans is 99%. The Chief Minister was informed that the target of provision of loans to 50 thousand persons has been achieved while 70 thousand persons will be given loans by November.

The Chief Minister said that it is easy to make big decisions if one is sincere while immediate steps can be taken for the solution of public problems if the political leadership is determined and imbued with the spirit of service. He said that billions of rupees were misappropriated in the name of development programmes in the previous eras and the public money was looted mercilessly. Whereas, he said, Pakistan Muslim League-N government has promoted transparency and merit besides eliminated corruption from the province during the last four and a half years. He directed that the steps taken for the benefit of the masses should be accelerated. He said that public-welfare schemes should be implemented expeditiously so that people could benefit from them as soon as possible.