PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister (CM) Pervez Khattak has said that providing job security to the educated youth side by side with health and education facilities is the prime responsibility of the government.
He said this while addressing the launching ceremony of KP Impact Challenge Programme at a local hotel Peshawar, which was organised by KP Directorate of Youth Affairs and Lahore University of Management Science (LUMS). It was also addressed by KP Minister for Youth Affairs Mehmood Khan, Youth Affairs Secretary Tariq Khan, Youth Affairs Director Asfandyar Khattak and economic experts of LUMS.
The chief minister said that his provincial government was endeavouring to bring the youth on key and leading positions of affairs in all walks of life, rather than keeping them dependent on certain government jobs. He added that this policy would enable the younger generation to become employers and give jobs to others instead of searching employment for themselves.
CM Khattak revealed that mega entrepreneurship programme of province’s history under impact challenge had been launched to enhance the business-related capabilities of educated and skilled youth, which would bring economic and industrial revolution in the province. He added that time had come to focus on the youth otherwise the entire nation would suffer a lot.
“The outcomes of CPEC project would appear in coming decades for which our youth must be equipped properly and be provided with an environment of competition,” he added.
The chief minister said that Rs250 million was allocated for this programme but the funds were increased to Rs500 million due to its importance and added that he would never hesitate to further enhance the funds even to up to Rs1-2 billion if necessary.
Pervez Khattak lauded the efforts of KP Directorate of Youth Affairs and LUMS experts for launching such a youth-friendly programme of business ideas. He added that Jawan Markaz were being established at divisional headquarter level wherein Rs1 billion had been allocated for this purpose.
He said that a vivid strategy has been adopted to tackle the challenge of youth bulge and TEVTA was also established for imparting quality technical education to the younger generation. He said that 13 big skill centres were also handed over to Pakistan Air Force for higher technical education.
Similarly, he said that youth employment digital skills programme was also launched under information technology board that produced 40 thousand male and female youth to earn their livelihood in a dignified manner. He added that the national youth carnival was also a proof of the sincerity of KP government to promote sports at grass root level.
CM Khattak also said that 76 sports grounds at tehsil level and 120 playgrounds at different places have been constructed in the province apart from 100 sports grounds developed in various schools. Similarly, he said that two main sports stadiums of Peshawar have been developed and renovated to the level that they will host international championships in coming few months.
Earlier the chief minister also participated in the interviewing process of selection of business ideas from young entrepreneurs under KP Youth Impact Challenge Programme. He assured that his provincial government would provide abundant opportunities of self-employment and entrepreneurship to the youth instead of compelling them to go abroad and allow brain drain due to unemployment in the province.
