ISLAMABAD: Advisor to the Prime Minister on National History and Literary Heritage Irfan Siddiqui Sunday said Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif had declared the year-2017 as a year of Zarb-e-Qalam to highlight soft image of the country.
Talking to PTV, he said immense steps had been taken on the directives of the Prime Minister to promote literary activities in the country.
On his request, he said, the Prime Minister had increased endowment fund for welfare of literary people from Rs 300 million to Rs 500 million.
Irfan Siddiqui said institutions including Pakistan Academy of Letters, National Book Foundation (NBF), Quaid-i-Azam and Allama Iqbal academies, Urdu Science Board and Urdu Dictionary Board would get benefits for endowment fund, adding this fund would be helpful to promote artistic, educational and literary activities.
He said the government had enhanced ratio of scholarships for literary people from Rs 500 to 1,000 while the monthly stipend from Rs. 10,000 to 13,000.
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