Youth empowerment: NIP among three schemes seeking PM’s approval

NIP has offered placements to over 98,000 applicants since 2006; other schemes to target needy students.

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is likely to approve three major schemes for the country’s youth in the next few days.

According to Ministry of Education, Trainings and Standards in Higher Education Secretary Ahmad Bakhsh Lehri, allocations have already been announced for two projects in the current fiscal year’s Public Sector Development Programme budget.

One of the schemes --- the National Internship Programme (NIP) --- was initiated in 2006 and has managed to offer placements in different government sector institutions and organisations to over 98,000 successful applicants in the six years to 2012.

The scheme was initiated to enhance youth employability and to provide temporary financial relief --- it offers a Rs10,000 monthly stipend.

Eligible applicants must be at least 16-years-old and hold a recognised Higher Education Commission degree.

The scheme has been allocated Rs350 million in the budget for 2013-14, a significant jump from the Rs200 million allocated during the 2006-07 fiscal year. “The internee intake will be increased to 50,000 per year,” said Lehri.

Another scheme, the Prime Minister’s Youth Training Programme, has been allocated Rs3 billion in this year’s budget.

This scheme is similar in nature to NIP but is aimed at the youth of less developed areas, including Southern Punjab, rural Sindh, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Malakand Division.

The provincial phase of these two programmes was stopped in July 2011 and the application and recruitment processes have been finalised by the ministry.

The summary of the scheme has been moved to the prime minister and design of the new website and application form is in progress. The provinces have also been told to nominate the focal departments that will facilitate the applicants.

The third scheme seeking approval is a fee waiver for university students from far-flung areas.

“All MPhil and PhD students will be eligible to avail this facility,” said Lehri.

He added that students of far-flung areas studying in cities other than their own will not be eligible for BS and MPhil programmes.

Meanwhile, Rs350 million has been allocated for the Prime Minister’s Special Initiatives for Hunarmand Pakistan Programme, which aims to empower youth from remote areas with multiple skills.

Lehri said the prime minister will be presented with details of the plan, which will be subsequently implemented provided it is given a go-ahead.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 12^th, 2013.