- The glass is 90 per cent full and it is unfair to just point out the empty space, says Sharif
- PM encourages youth for development as 5,200 more loan applications selected in PMYBLS
Praising Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday said that the government’s budget for fiscal year 2014-15 will provide relief to the public.
“Dar has had sleepless nights while he was preparing the budget. I’m sure good things will follow,” the premier said while addressing the second balloting ceremony of Prime Minister’s Youth Business Loan Scheme (PMYBLS) in Islamabad.
Sharif said the government had little time to prepare its first budget last year but still managed to meet some key targets for the outgoing fiscal year.
“The glass is 90 percent full and it is unfair to just point out the empty space,” the prime minister stressed.
Further, the prime minister said that the government was working day and night and the results could be seen by the public.
“How can we have confidence in those who are unable to display results for their [respective] provinces?” the prime minister asked while referring to criticism by opposition parties.
The prime minister lauded the efforts of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and Maryam Nawaz for making youth loan scheme a success.
Around 5,200 loan applications were selected successful in the second draw.
Nawaz Sharif distributed cheques among the successful applicants of the youth loan. The initiative was designed to provide subsidized financing at 8 percent mark-up per annum for 100,000 beneficiaries through the National Bank of Pakistan and First Women Bank.
PM ENCOURAGES THE YOUTH:
Addressing the balloting ceremony, Prime Minister Sharif said that the government started the loan scheme to provide the youth with opportunities to make them financially stable.
“Big businesses easily get loans but deserving people with little resources are not assisted adequately,” he said, adding that there were numerous talented people in the country who could change the fate of the nation.
The premier expressed confidence that the youth securing loans for businesses would prove to be a harbinger of economic revolution in the country. Loan programme would help alleviate poverty in the country, he said, adding that in the first phase, 38,000 applications for loans had been received by the capital under government’s initiative for youth empowerment.
MORE MERCHANDISE FOR STUDENTS:
Sharif said that under fee reimbursement scheme, fees of students from underprivileged areas would benefit deserving students and improve education in country. He said his government will also distribute 100,000 laptops among the students.