F.P. Report
PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pervez Khattak has said that providing jobs security to the educated youth side by side with health and education facilities was prime responsibility of the government. He regretted that institutions were at verge of destruction when PTI led government came into power in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa wherein violation of the merit, corruption and interference in the departments were coins of the day.
He said his provincial government introduced reforms and transparency in the institutions that resulted in removing difference between rich and poor as well as disparity in weak and powerful. He however said future of this province and its people was bright then. “Our transparent policies led to economic growth, industrial revival and increase in job opportunities”, he added.
He said that his provincial government was endeavoring to bring the youth on key and leading positions of affairs in all walks of life rather than depending them on certain government jobs.
He said this policy would enable our younger generation to become employers and give jobs to other instead of searching employment for themselves.
He revealed that mega entrepreneurship program of KP history under Impact Challenge has been launched to enhance the business related capabilities of our educated and skilled youth that would cause economic and industrial revolution in the province. He said that time has come to focus on youth otherwise the entire nation would suffer a lot. “The outcomes of CPEC project would appear in coming decade for which our youth must be equipped properly and provide them environment of competition”, he added.
He was addressing the launching ceremony of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Impact Challenged Programme at local hotel Peshawar that was organized by the provincial directorate of youth affairs and Lahore University of Management Science (LUMS). It was also addressed by provincial Minister for Youth Affairs, Mehmood Khan, Secretary Youth Affairs Tariq Khan, Director Youth Affairs Assfandiyar Khattak and economic experts of LUMS. The Chief Minister said that Rs. 250 million were allocated for this program but the funds were increased to Rs. 500 million due to its importance and he would never hesitate to further enhance even up to 1-2 billion rupees if necessitated.
He said that provincial government arranged meeting of the foundations council in presence of the media to ensure selection of the interested youth for the entrepreneurship under its merit policy wherein 40 business ideas were selected out of 1152 applicants for the grant of loan ranging from 5-25 lakh rupees.
He said that he himself attended the interview process of the intending youth for this grant and he was surprised to know the marvelous business ideas of our youth.
He said that he was confident now that there was enormous talent emerging from our province who would soon run all the affairs of economy and industry that would grow by leaps and bounds.
Pervez Khattak lauded the efforts of KP Directorate of Youth Affairs and LUMS experts for launching such youth friendly program of Business ideas. He said that the youth was infact power and bright future of the nation.
He said that Pakistan Tehrik e Insaf was a party of youth. That why he said welfare and encouragement of youth was the top most priority of provincial government. He said that the first youth policy was a milestone achievement of his government as it was a pioneering youth policy all over the country.
He said that Directorate of Youth Affairs was established under this policy to plan different creative programs for talent hunt. He said that Jawan Markaz were being established at divisional headquarter level wherein Rs. 1 billion have been allocated for this purpose.
The Chief Minister said that 60% population of our province consisted on youth below 30 year of age whereas 1100thousand students were graduated from various universities in the province every year. However there were meager job opportunities for these highly educated youth that was a big challenge for the provincial government.
He said that a vivid strategy was adopted to tackle this challenge, various realistic steps were taken for youth and TEVTA was also established for imparting quality technical education to the younger generation. He said that 13 big skill centers were also handed over to Pakistan Air Force for higher technical education.
Similarly he said that youth employment digital skills program was also launched under information technology board that produced 40 thousand male and female youth to earn their livelihood in dignified manner. He said that national youth carnival was also a proof of sincerity of KP government to promote sports at grass root level.
He said that 76 sports grounds at Tehsil level and 120 playgrounds at different places have been constructed in the province other than 100 sports grounds developed in various schools. Similarly he said that two main sports stadiums of Peshawar have been developed and renovated to the level to start international championships in coming few months.
Earlier the Chief Minister also participated in the interviewing process of selection of business ideas from young entrepreneurs under KP Youth Impact Challenge Program. He assured that his provincial government would provide abundant opportunities of self employment and entrepreneurship to the youth instead of compelling them to go abroad and allow brain drain due to unemployment in the province.
