Provincial Minister for Education Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan said Punjab government will be able to achieve the millennium development goal of achieving 100 percent literacy rate in 2015, one year prior to the stipulated timeframe, on account of the additional financial resources provided in the budgetary proposals for the fiscal year 2014-15 in the province of Punjab.
He termed the Punjab budgetary proposals for financial year 2014-15 as people-friendly in real sense as the priorities and targets fixed in the budget reflect that the budget will result in prosperity of deprived segments of the society. While presiding over a meeting regarding sectoral reforms in education sector here on Saturday, the Minister said annual budget of Punjab is in accordance with the vision of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif in which provision of resources for education sector has been considered as best investment for the bright future of the nation.
He said PML-N government has allocated an overall amount of Rs 273 billion in education sector at provincial and district levels and the provincial government's share increased from Rs 65.20 billion to 92.65 billion and this increase is 40 percent more than that of previous year.
The Minister said allocation of two billion rupees more for Punjab Educational Endowment Fund, Rs 7.5 billion for setting up of new Danish Schools in Lodhran, Mailsi, Jhang, Taunsa and Fort Monro besides allocation of Rs 48.31 billion for development projects of education sector is a revolutionary step. He lauded the allocation of more than Rs 14 billion in development budget of Higher Education, establishment of new colleges and three new women universities at Rahim Yar Khan, Sahiwal and Okara besides giving practical shape to knowledge park in Lahore over 705 acres of land.
The decision of expanding the scope of distribution of educational vouchers for 1.5 million poor students acquiring free education in private schools with the financial assistance by Punjab Education Foundation will leave a far-reaching impact on the poor segment of the society, the Minister added.
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