Yellow balloting: In Rawalpindi Division, over 1,500 to get taxicabs

Names of 1,554 successful applicants from Rawalpindi, Chakwal, Attock and Jhelum announced.

RAWALPINDI:

Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Mian Shahbaz Sharif inaugurated “Apna Rozgar, Khadim-e-Punjab Yellow Cab Scheme”, a computerised draw for yellow cabs, held at Rawalpindi Arts Council here on Monday.

The CM further said it is high time to put the country on track to make an impression in the modern world. In the computerised draw, the names of 1,554 successful applicants who applied for the taxi cabs in Rawalpindi, Chakwal, Attock and Jhelum, were announced. In Rawalpindi city, a total of 840 taxicabs were given to the applicants. He added that PML-N President Mian Nawaz Sharif and the provincial government have brought to life their budget pledge to provide self-employment opportunities to the unemployed youth of the province.

He added that the government would hold three draws during this year. In the first phase, the Punjab government will provide 20,000 locally manufactured yellow cabs worth Rs 1.5 billion (12,000 Mehrans and 8,000 Bolans) to the youth across the province. Moreover, a total of 100,000 computers in the second phase will also be distributed among high achievers in FA, FSc, BA and BSc while Rs50,000 would also be given to 100,000 skilled youth in the form of interest-free loans.

“Of the population of 180 million, 60 per cent are young boys and girls aged between ages of 16 to 19. To provide them employment opportunities is a big task, which needs a joint consensus and effort to help them to earn respectable livelihoods,” he added.

Sharif also spoke of delays in completing the Nandipur and Chico Ki Mallian power projects, claiming that federal government was responsible for losses of Rs72 billion. Had the power projects been completed in time, about 900 mw of electricity could be produced, but instead, the machinery for the project was rusting under the sun in Karachi. If the power project is resumed, an additional Rs20 billion would have to be spent.

Senator Pervez Rasheed, CM’s Adviser Ashfaq Sarwar, Punjab Information Technology Board Chairman Dr Javed Ghani, PML-N MNAs Shakeel Awan, Abrar Ahmed and Najma Hameed, MPAs Ziaullah Shah, Raja Hanif and Malik Iftikhar Ahmed, Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Zahid Saeed, District Coordination Officer Saqib Zafar, City Police Officer Azhar Hameed Khokher , other district government officials and a large numbers of PML-N workers and scheme applicants from four districts were also present on the occasion.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 30^th, 2011.