ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Youth Affairs Usman Dar on Wednesday called upon the talented and skilled youths of the country to come up with their viable business plan for getting loan up to one million rupees under the second phase of Prime Minister's Kamyab Naujawan Programme.

He said the government had earmarked Rs. 100 billion for 2 lac ambitious youths with no guarantee under the Programme out of which Rs. 25 billion was reserved for young women for their business start up.

In an exclusive talk with a private news channel, he said that earlier during the first phase of the programme, over 2 lac applications were not entertained either due to providing wrong information by the applicants or having non-satisfactory statement about their skill.

He told that this time, all scheduled banks had been provided with Islamic Financing facilities to facilitate maximum the applicants.

To a question, Usman Dar told the State Bank of Pakistan had reduced the mark up from 8 to 3 percent due to coronavirus pandemic situation in the country.

The third phase of the scheme, he added, would have financing from Rs. 10 million to Rs. 25 million for those youths who would need access to finance for expansion of their already established businesses.

The Programme is a big gift of Prime Minister Imran Khan for the skilled and progressive youths to become a successful Kamyab Naujawan, he added.