Employment scheme launched for ex-FATA

Residents to be provided loans of up to Rs1 million

PESHAWAR:

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has launched the second phase of Insaf Rozgar Scheme with a total cost of Rs700 million.

Under the scheme, interest-free loans from Rs50,000 to Rs1 million will be provided to the jobless people of the newly-merged districts in order to help eradicate unemployment.

People in the age group of 18-50 years, who are permanent residents of the newly-merged districts, will be eligible to get interest-free loans under the newly launched scheme.

After inaugurating the Bank of Khyber (BoK) headquarters the other day, the CM formally launched the second phase of Insaf Rozgar Scheme also.

Briefing the participants about the project, managing director of BoK said that the first phase was launched in June 2020 with a cost of Rs1.1 billion.

In the first phase, 4,576 jobless people have been provided with interest-free loans enabling them to start their own business and “the results were really encouraging” taking into account the response and applications received from the youth.

The banker disclosed that the scheme has proved to be the most feasible and result-oriented initiative of the provincial government, adding that 90 per cent recovery of the loans, provided in the first phase, has been achieved.

Under the second phase of the scheme, around 3,000 additional jobless people would get interest-free loans for initiating their own business.

This will help them earn money and will also provide jobs to other youngsters in the newly established small businesses.

The chief minister has extended his profound felicitations to the relevant stakeholders on the successful completion of the first phase as well as launching of the second phase of Insaf Rozgar Scheme.

He said that the scheme is undoubtedly a poor-friendly initiative of the provincial government which has provided self-employment opportunities to the jobless residents of the merged areas.

The CM maintained that his government has gone all out to promote employment opportunities in the province with special focus on newly merged tribal areas.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 24^th, 2022.