ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday announced allocation of Rs100 billion for start-up loans and 170,000 skilled education scholarships to overcome the challenge of unemployment.

The prime minister, in a special televised message for youth, said the government

was focused on promoting contemporary skills through scholarships and courses in a bid to help youth become self-reliant in earning and businesses.

The prime minister said out of the 170,000 scholarships, around 50,000 would be reserved for high-end skills such as latest technology including Artificial Intelligence and Big Data.

Those who qualify on merit such six-month scholarship courses would become part of the technology revolution the country was heading to, he added.

Imran Khan said the government’s this initiative to extend soft loans worth Rs 100 billion through Kamyab Jawan would encourage country’s youth launch start-ups and businesses of their own.

Terming unemployment as a huge problem, he said the government would increase fund allocation for the special incentives of youth every year.

He pointed that the youth needed to diverge their energies on learning skills to become self-reliant rather than desiring the government jobs.

He said the government could not afford more public jobs as already the pension bill was adding to the financial burden.

The world over, he said, the private sector jobs, self-business, small and medium enterprises and start-ups were the solution to unemployment, he added.

Imran Khan hoped that youth would fully benefit from the two projects announced by the government and tap the immense opportunities in diverse fields.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021