CM Maryam Nawaz orders distribution of laptops within 90 days

Students in Punjab to receive Core i7, 13th-gen laptops under Chief Minister's Laptop and Merit Scholarship Program.

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Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has set a target to distribute laptops to students within 90 days.

Under the Chief Minister's Laptop and Merit Scholarship Program, students across Punjab will receive the latest Core i7, 13th-generation laptops.

The Chief Minister has instructed that laptops be provided to 2,000 minority students and top position holders from Matriculation and Intermediate (F.Sc) exams. Successful students will also receive a Guard of Honour.

Under this initiative, 20,000 university students, 14,000 college students, 4,000 students from industry and agriculture sectors, and 2,000 medical and dental students will receive laptops. Of these, 32% of the recipients will be from Southern Punjab.

Under the Chief Minister's Laptop Scheme, 5,000 laptops will be distributed within the next 30 days, and 35,000 laptops will be provided by February 20. Students from fields such as Computer Science, Medicine, Science, Engineering, Social Sciences, Business, Languages, Veterinary, and Agriculture will also receive laptops. Additionally, 30,000 students from public educational institutions and 10,000 from private institutions across Punjab will be awarded scholarships.

According to the briefing, under the Chief Minister's Merit Scholarship Program, 18,000 female students will be awarded scholarships, covering their full tuition fees for four to five years.

A total of 68,329 applications were received for the merit scholarship, and the verification process for 34,290 applications has been completed. Public sector universities in Punjab have seen a 15.5% increase in enrollment beyond the set target.

In addition, the appointment of vice-chancellors has been completed at bulk sector universities, with the process ongoing at six others. One university position will be re-advertised.

CM approves Dialysis Card scheme

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has approved the first Dialysis Programme in the country with the allocation of Rs1 million for each patient. Presiding over a meeting, she issued directives to ensure free tests and medicines for the patients and to continue their dialysis procedure under any circumstances.

It was agreed that more dialysis units would be set up in the province. The chief minister directed the Punjab Healthcare Commission to ensure implementation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) in the dialysis centres and closely monitor them across the province.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz expressed indignation over the spread of AIDS in Multan and sought a report about the matter within 24 hours. She said, "Spread of AIDS among dialysis patients is not only regrettable but shameful as well. Halting dialysis procedure due to unavailability of funds is also regrettable and the service should continue."