Traditional Artisans Employment Scheme launched in KP
Addressing a press conference after MoU signing ceremony between Cultural Department and Bank of Khyber here at Nishtar Hall, he said the scheme would revive diminishing traditional arts by providing interest free loans to the local artisans in their respective areas. The memorandum was signed by Secretary Information, Azmat Hanif Orakzai and Zahoor Ahmad Khan of Bank of Khyber. Provincial Minister Mian Iftikhar said the scheme was an effort of the government to support traditional artisan through interest free loans on easy installments and enable them earn livelihood respectfully by reviving traditional arts. He said in first phase, loans would be provided to artisans of Peshawar, Nowshera and Charsadda districts and later more districts would be included in the scheme. The loans would be recovered in three years on easy installments and first three months would be a grace period. Mian Iftikhar Hussain termed the scheme a revolutionary step of government and said the step would prove to be a milestone in revival of traditional arts and support our artisans financially. Narrating briefly the salient features of the scheme people aged between 18-55 will be eligible for obtaining the loans associated with the business of brass work, wood carving, pottery, foot wear, sole making, straw work, embroidery, Chef (Deg Mar) and embroidery. The Information Minster said that militancy and terrorism in the province had inflicted great setback to the local traditional arts and the ANP-led coalition government wanted to revive the same expertise by encouraging the artisans. Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011