LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Women Development Department (WDD), Hameeda Waheeduddin has directed the departments concerned to speed up the pace of work on development projects relating to progress, welfare, and empowerment of women so that the maximum number of women can benefit from the measures taken by the government.
She stated this while chairing a high-level meeting regarding implementation of Women Package 2017 in Secretary Office here on Wednesday. Provincial Secretary Bushra Aman, Additional Secretary Nadir Khalique, Deputy Secretary Amna Rafique, Director Azhar Munir and representatives of concerned departments also attended the meeting.
Provincial Secretary Bushra Aman briefed in detail the participants regarding different features and initiatives of Women Package 2017
which includes formulation of provincial gender policy, existing mobile units with all the basic facilities for screening breast cancer among women in rural areas, SME business trainings for female entrepreneurs, IT training by WDD, skill development of 40,000 female students with monthly stipends of Rs.1000 each, interest free micro finance loans to females to start businesses through CM’s Self Employment Scheme in 2017-18, provision of bus stops with designated waiting spaces for women in urban and rural areas and establishment of Women Business Incubation Centres in Chambers of Commerce and Industries in eight cities and a “one-stop” platform for women-led businesses.
The meeting was informed that IT training has been imparted in women colleges identified by the WDD. It was also told that the draft of gender policy had been circulated among the stakeholders. The construction of a model women’s restroom at civil secretariat has been completed.
Provincial Minister Hameeda Waheeduddin directed the meeting to provide details of existing mobile units for breast screening in rural areas, the number of waiting areas at designated bus stops and beneficiaries of IT training by WDD.
