ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed government’s commitment to providing better opportunities to youth in education, skill development, employment and entrepreneurship.
He was chairing a meeting in Islamabad on Wednesday to review the progress of ongoing projects under the Prime Minister’s Youth Program and proposals for new initiatives for the upcoming year.
The prime minister said efforts are being intensified to equip young people with world-class education and training in information technology and other modern sectors. He directed Higher Education Commission and Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication to present a comprehensive action plan for aligning IT education in universities with international standards and global market requirements.
Shehbaz Sharif said the Prime Minister’s Youth Program should particularly focus on technical and vocational training to ensure employment opportunities for youth both within the country and abroad.
He also directed that various easy loan schemes for young entrepreneurs should be brought under one umbrella to facilitate youth seeking to start businesses.
The prime minister further instructed the Youth Program to collaborate with Ministry of Industries and Production for provision of electric bikes to youth hailing from low-income and middle-income families.
Shehbaz Sharif appreciated the performance of Chairman Prime Minister’s Youth Program Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan and his team for effectively implementing various initiatives.
During the meeting, participants were briefed on effectiveness and progress of ongoing projects being executed under Prime Minister’s Youth Program.
The meeting was informed that over 800,000 youth and 2,000 institutions have been registered under the Digital Youth Hub, with more than 4,800 applications being received daily.
Participants were told that under the Prime Minister’s Youth Business and Agri Loans Scheme, over 287,000 youth received 122.5 billion rupees in easy loans, generating more than 900,000 jobs.
The meeting was informed that the country’s first Youth and Adolescent Policy and Youth Employment Policy have been launched. It was further told that 400,000 youth participated in Sports and Talent Hunt Program this year. Briefings were also given on Mixed Martial Arts, FIFA Arena, E-Sports and other proposed youth projects.
Meanwhile, PM Shehbaz Sharif said that small and medium enterprises have great potential for development of the country’s economy and increase in exports.
He was chairing a meeting in Islamabad on government’s initiatives for development of small and medium enterprises in the country.
Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister appreciated team of Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority for working on an emergency basis to facilitate small and medium enterprises through easy credit, digital financing, inclusion in the formal economy, and access to export markets.
The Prime Minister expressed satisfaction over roadmap prepared by SMEDA and the Ministry of Industries and directed that an implementation plan with achievable targets be presented within a specified timeframe.
He said commercial banks should take steps to provide easy credit to small and medium enterprises.
He further said processing sectors in agriculture should also be given the status of small and medium enterprises.
He also appreciated the steps taken for inclusion of women in small and medium enterprises. He said measures to facilitate women’s access to easy loans and support product exports should be further strengthened.
The meeting was informed that the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority is implementing forty-eight measures across eight strategic sectors under the Prime Minister’s directives.
The meeting was also briefed on steps being taken to improve market access, investment, vendor profiling, SME databases, and training programmes.
