Livelihood: Delivery of Apna Rozgar vehicles next month

Nearly 152,000 candidates had applied for 50,000 vehicles.

LAHORE: Delivery of vehicles under the Apna Rozgar Scheme is likely to start during the second week of February.

The government had announced the scheme in October-November 2014 to provide vehicles to eligible unemployed youth. The price is to be paid back in installments over five years as an interest-free loan.

The criteria were relaxed in December last year both in terms of education and age limit, an official of the Transport Department said requesting anonymity.

He said the government had initially earmarked Rs25 billion for the scheme in the 2014-15 budget; it would now be executed at a cost of Rs31 billion. As many as 50,000 vehicles – vans and mini trucks – will be distributed. Those between 21 and 35 years of age and holding a secondary school certificate were eligible for the scheme.

Nearly 152,000 people had applied for the vehicles but many of them were either over age or did not have a secondary school certificate, the official said. “The government then amended the criteria allowing ‘literate’ people of up to 40 years of age to benefit from the scheme.”

The Bank of Punjab had scrutinised the applicants and held a lucky draw to select the candidates. The selected candidates will undergo a 15-day training before they are handed over the vehicles. They had to deposit a down payment of Rs170,000 for a Suzuki Ravi Pick-up and Rs177,000 for a Suzuki Bolan.

Those getting a Suzuki Ravi Pick-up will have to pay Rs9,000 a month and those with a Suzuki Bolan Rs10,000 a month each for five years. They are not to use the vehicles for purposes other than specified in the scheme.

The vehicles are to be distributed among various districts on the basis of population. Southern Punjab districts are getting a 10 per cent additional quota.

Transport Secretary Shaukat Ali said the government had tried it best to allot the vehicles on merit. He said the initiative would help cut unemployment. He admitted that the government had had to revise the eligibility criteria as most of the applicants did not meet the originally specified qualifications.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 30^th, 2015.