Punjab government has failed to utilise more than Rs 7.4 billion provided by the Ministry of Religious Affairs under President's Permanent Rehabilitation Scheme (PPRS) for unemployed youths.
Thirty-two districts of Punjab including Rawalpindi were provided Rs 100 million each per annum to buy computers, buffaloes, auto rickshaws and other equipment for unemployed youth under the scheme. The amount was donated from Zakat Fund for eradication of unemployment and poverty.
But, for the last two years, provincial government has failed to provide this fund for the welfare and permanent rehabilitation of unemployed youths. When contacted, the officials of the District Zakat Council, Rawalpindi told Business Recorder that Rs 100 million were being provided by the Ministry of Religious Affairs from Zakat Fund for the permanent rehabilitation of unemployed youths. The main problem in distribution of these funds was suspension of the Central Zakat Council in the province, they added.
The federal government was allocating funds but these funds were not being utilised, because of some administrative hitches, they said. An amount of Rs 7.8 billion is transferred to the account of the provincial government regularly and it is their responsibility to utilise it, they observed.