Job opportunities

There is a wide scope for creating job opportunities considering the country’s narrow base of manufacturing. The growing unemployment in the country can be overcome by increasing industrialisaton. It is in this backdrop that we welcome the government’s announcement of creating new job and educational opportunities for the youth. Recently, Prime Minister Imran Khan approved a programme aimed at providing job opportunities, education, soft loans and professional skills to the youth

The youth will benefit in 40 sectors in collaboration with provincial governments. Under the programme, several schemes are being launched such as the youth development scheme, PM’s start-up programme, internship programme, Hunarmand programme, PM’s green youth movement, and Kamyab Naujawan Employent Exchange Programme. Under the start-up programme, soft loans will be given to young persons to establish small businesses. A youth database will be established in the light of information and surveys by educational institutions for setting up Prime Minister’s Employment Exchange Platform. This will be linked with government departments and industries for providing jobs to people. The programme should be guarded against falling prey to corruption and wrong strategy. It should also be ensured that the money given in loan is not squandered.

We know how other developing countries have overcome the problem of joblessness to a considerable extent. How Bangladesh is providing jobs to a large number of men and women in its apparel export industry even though it does not grow a single blade of cotton. Our policy-makers should go in for a deep study of the Industrial Revolution, especially as it happened in Britain. We expect Imran Khan to deliver in view of his success in establishing Shaukat Khanum Hospitals in different cities of the country.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 20^th, 2019.

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