Govt launches seven new schemes for poverty alleviation

08 Sep, 2013

ISLAMABAD: Federal government has launched seven new schemes for poverty alleviation and employment across the country.

Government has increased the allocation of cash support programme from Rs.44 billion for fiscal year 2012-13 to Rs.75 billion for fiscal year 2013-14 for poverty alleviation and employment.

According to available document with APP, under the Prime Minister's Youth Training Programme all those completing a 16 year degree programme and having age blew 25 years will be provided one year training programme. During the training, they will be entitled to a stipend of Rs. 10,000 per month.

The small business loans scheme will enable the youth to start their own businesses. Small business loans from Rs.100,000 to Rs. 2,000,000 will be made available through banking system at a mark up cost of eight percent while the remaining cost will be generated by the government. In the first year of the scheme, a total of 50,000 loans will be offered.

In Prime Minister's Microfinance Scheme men and women will be enable to undertake microenterprise activities, Rs. 5.00 billion have been allocated for Qarz-e-Hassana Scheme (loan without mark-up).

These micro loans will be made available through selected micro finance providers including Akhuwat, NRSP and provincial RSPs. Fifty percent of the beneficiaries of this scheme will be women.

Under the Prime Minister's Youth Skills Development Programme, 25,000 young persons up to the age 25 years with minimum qualification of middle will be imparted training in a number of trades across the country.

Six month training will be given for which fee will be paid by the government.

In the Fee Reimbursement Scheme for Less developed Areas bright students from Balochistan, FATA, Gilgit-Baltistan are being provided tuition fee support for higher education at Master's and Doctorate levels.

This scheme is being extended to other equally less developed areas such as those of interior Sindh ,South Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

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