Provincial Minister for Finance Dr Ayesha Ghaus Pasha has said that it is essential to activate every segment of society for strengthening the country’s economy. She said that the Punjab government was taking exemplary steps in this regard.
She expressed these views while presiding over the seventh meeting of the board of directors of the Punjab Social Protection Authority (PSPA). The meeting was aimed at reviewing the performance of the Punjab Social Protection Authority and approval of future projects.
The minister said that the PSPA was ensuring the effective role of deprived segments of society for making it self-sufficient for the economic development of the province. Education and technical training are both being imparted to special persons, she added.
She said that female students of rural and urban areas were being motivated through scholarships to keep studying, adding that unemployed persons were being provided job opportunities through interest free loans.
The provincial minster said that a child labour policy was being evolved according to international laws under which the students will be able to do such part time jobs as will be suitable according to their age while they study.
Dr Ayesha Ghaus Pasha said that special training programmes were being chalked out for uneducated persons to be able to do dignified work. The scope of the Khidmat Cards is being expanded from disabled persons and labourers’ children to the elder persons as well as men & women affected by fire and acid, she added.
The minister said that planning was being done for the rehabilitation of curable blind persons and the provision of financial assistance to the families of those who had lost their lives in the line of duty.
Appreciated the team’s efforts, Finance Minister Ayesha Ghaus Pasa congratulated the authority for issuing Khidmat Cards for monthly scholarships of Rs 1000 for 460,000 girls at a time in sixteen districts.
Punjab Social Protection Authority CEO Dr Sohail Anwar gave a briefing to the board members about the agenda of the meeting and the proposed projects of the budget for 2017-18.,
Information and Culture Secretary Raja Jhangir Anwar informed the participants about the details of the financial assistance scheme for artists. He said that the information and culture department in collaboration with the Social Protection Authority wants to ensure the provision of scholarships to needy artists on a permanent basis instead of providing them financial assistance on temporary basis so that they would not be left unattended after the end of their artistic careers.
Punjab Welfare Society for the Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons Programmes Director Dr Izhar Hashami also threw light on projects for the rehabilitation of blind, mentally retarded, and acid affected persons. Dr Sohail Anwar also proposed the launching of a pension scheme ‘Kharajul Shuhada’ for the families of those who had lost their lives in the line of duty. He also proposed starting projects in collaboration with the World Food Organization for the protection of food and income from seasonal affects. Both the proposals were approved by the board.
The meeting also approved the constitution of three sub-committees: finance, social policy, and human resource.
The provincial minister directed the PASPA CEO to compile the dates of all on-going social welfare projects and ensure the provision of all information and facilities to people under one roof.
Akhuwwat Chief Executive Dr Amjad Saqib, Planning and Development Chief Khalid Sultan, the labour and human resources DG, women development additional secretary, social welfare and bailtul maal programmes director and officials of the Punjab skills development fund were also present on the occasion.
