ISLAMABAD, 17 DEC (DNA) – Chairperson Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, Ms Leila Khan held meeting with a delegation of World Bank comprised of Ms Theresa Paulelle Jones and Mr. Amjad Zafar Khan here at Prime Minister’s Office, in order to apprise them of various interventions of the Federal Government under Prime Minister’s Youth Programme for the socio-economic development of people, especially the youth.

Speaking at the occasion, Ms Leila Khan said, “Federal Government is running six (06) schemes under Prime Minister’s Youth Programme. These schemes include 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.”

Ms. Leila Khan expressed her desire to engage international development partners like World Bank, Asian Development Bank, USAID, IDB, Saudi Development Fund and DFID for enhancing the scope and impact of these schemes, which are already being run successfully now.

She explained, “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 around 100,000 interest free loans worth more than Rs. 2 Billion have been granted to poorest of the poor people in 44 under developeddistricts across Pakistan.”

 Moreover, out of the 100,000 Interest Free Loan beneficiaries, around 25,000 are those who had a poverty score of less than 16.17 and were BISP beneficiaries.  These had graduated from the BISP programme and had obtained PM Interest Free Loan in order to become self-sustainable and start earning their livelihood.

Ms Leila Khan 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”.

The Chairperson highlighted that skilled training is provided so that people can use these skills and start a small level enterprise after securing loan under PM Interest Free Loan scheme.

Chairperson Prime Minister’s Youth Programme highlighted, “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/reimbursed since the launch of the scheme in 2013-14.

Above all, Prime Minister’s Youth Training Scheme, about to be launched very soon, will offer 150,000 (50,000 per year for a period of three years 2015-18) paid internships @ Rs. 12,000 per intern per month to the fresh university graduates aged up to 25 in reputed public and private sector organizations across Pakistan, in order to enhance their employability in the market.” DNA