Punjab Minister for Labour and Manpower Raja Ashfaq Sarwar has said that “Khidmat Card Programme” of Punjab Government for rehabilitation of special persons is a revolutionary step by Chief Minister Shehbaz Shrif.
The programm has been started with an initial huge amount of Rs 2 billion. He further said that under this programme financial assistance would be provided to disabled persons with a view to rehabilitate them and in the second phase, technical training and loans without interest would also be provided to special person enabling them for establishing their own small business and standing on their own feet. He added that all segments of society, especially media and affluent people should also come forward to contribute in welfare of especial persons.
He disclosed that 20,000 people would benefit from this historic step of the Punjab governemnt.
He expressed these views while addressing a special awareness seminar on ”Punjab Khidmat Card Programme” held on Saturday in auditorium of Rawalpindi Arts Council. PML-N leaders Sardar Nasim, Dr Jamal Nasir, Muhammad Hanif Abbasi, MPA Raja Hanif, MPA Zeb un Nisa Awan, Zia Ullah Shah, Moulana Izhar Bukhari, Maqbool Ahmed Khan, Hakeem Syed Muhammad Saharanpuri, Yasir Butt, Director Punjab Khidmat Card Programme Naveed Akbar, representatives of various NGOs, and large numbers of citizens were present on this occasion.
Sarwar while addressing the seminar said that under Khidmat Card Programme, Rs 3,600 are being provided to each disable person as financial assistance on quarterly basis which they can obtain through Punjab Bank or ATM Card issued to registered especial persons. The minister added that in first phase, the special persons who are registered under Benazir Income Support Programme have been included, while the registration of all remaining disabled persons is also under process. He said that registration centres have been established in all district headquarters hospitals and tehsile headquarters hospitals in Punjab and in Rawalpindi these centres have been established in Benazir Bhutto Hospital, THQ Kottli Sattian and THQ Gujar Khan while these centres would also be established in THQs of Kahuta, Murree, Texila and Kalar Syedan Tehsiles within a couple of week.
The provincial minister further said that Khidmat Card Programme which has been launched from December 29,2015 by the chief minister himself has different phase-wise schemes of rehabilitation of special persons.
Sarwar said that CM Sharif believes in politics of serving the people and Khidmat Card Programme has been initiated with the intension to provide relief to special persons and enabling them to become at par with normal people. The labour minister said that countless economic and employment opportunities would open in coming years in Pakistan on account of Pak China economic Corridor and Pakistan will become a hub of economic activity in the region, and special persons who can learn skills would also have more opportunities of earning in this environment.