Leila Khan briefs GB’s minister on PM Youth Programme

ISLAMABAD, Dec 7 (APP): Chairperson Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, Leila Khan on Monday held a meeting with Sobia Maqaddam, Minister for Youth Gilgit-Baltistan and apprised the minister of socio-economic development initiatives under the Programme.
Speaking at the occasion, Leila Khan said that the federal government is running six schemes under Prime Minister’s Youth Programme for socio-economic development of people, especially the youth. These schemes included Prime Minister’s Youth Business Loans Scheme, Prime Minister’s Interest Free Loan Scheme, Prime Minister’s Youth Skill Development Programme, Prime Minister’s Youth Laptop Scheme, Prime Minister’s Fee Reimbursement Scheme, and Prime Minister’s Youth Training Scheme.
She said, “We have so far disbursed more than 6,500 business loans
worth Rs. 5.8 Billion among potential entrepreneurs aged 21-45 years across the country under Prime Minister’s Youth Business Loans Scheme whereas under Prime Minister’s Interest Free Loan Scheme almost 91,000 interest free loans worth Rs. 2 billion have been granted to poorest of the poor people in 36 under developed districts across Pakistan.”
She added Prime Minister’s Youth Skill Development Programme has
trained 25000 youth in more than 100 demand-driven trades in Phase-I, and is currently training another 25,000 trainees under Phase-II of the Programme.
Prime Minister’s Youth Laptop, and Prime Minister’s Fee Reimbursement
Schemes are focusing on promotion of higher education among youth.
Under Prime Minister’s Youth Laptop Scheme, the government has so far
distributed around 100,000 laptops in MS/MPhil, PhD, Masters, and Bachelors students enrolled in HEC-recognized public sector universities/colleges across Pakistan whereas under Prime Minister’s Fee Reimbursement Scheme fee of almost 100,000 students hailing from less developed areas has been paid or reimbursed since the launch of the scheme in 2013-14.
Prime Minister’s Youth Training Scheme, about to be launched very soon, will offer 150,000 paid internships (50,000 per year for a period of three years 2015-18) to fresh university graduates aged up to 25 years in reputed public and private sector organizations across Pakistan, in order to enhance their employability in the market.
Talking specifically about Gilgit Baltistan, Leila Khan briefed the visiting minister that so far distributed 39 business loans worth Rs. 28.9 million, and 1516 interest free loans worth Rs. 34 Million to beneficiaries across Gilgit Baltistan.
“We have trained 168 youth in Phase-I, and are training another 228 trainees in different vocational and technical trades across Gilgit Baltistan.” 335 laptops have been distributed among talented university students of Gilgit Baltistan, whereas fee of 4350 students has been paid or reimbursed since 2013. More than 1000 fresh graduates from Gilgit Baltistan will be awarded paid internship in public and private sector organizations, she said.