LAHORE (APP): Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has said that the youth are bright future of Pakistan and the nation has high expectations of its capable, talented and industrious youth.
He said the Punjab government had taken revolutionary steps for the welfare of youth and a number of programmes are being implemented successfully for the empowerment of youth.
In a message on International Youth Day, Shehbaz Sharif said more than 75 percent population of Punjab comprises youth.
He said that provision of education and training and different arts to such a big youth force was not less than a challenge, however, the Punjab government had adopted a comprehensive strategy in this regard and was taking practical steps for better future of youth.
The government was paying special attention to making the youth skilful according to market needs, he added.
Shehbaz Sharif said under Development Strategy 2018, target had been fixed for giving skill development training to 20 lakh youth.
He said the Punjab government had always provided opportunities to young generation for displaying its capabilities and serious efforts were being made for resolving the problems of youth at every level.
The Chief Minister said that Punjab government had introduced different unique schemes in view of problems of youth segment.
The government had taken solid steps for the welfare and empowerment of youth, which had yielded considerable results, he added.
Shehbaz Sharif said that educational scholarships were being provided to thousands of boys and girls of resource-less families from Punjab Educational Endowment Fund, the number of which, has exceeded 1.5 lakh. Similarly, soft term loans of billions of rupees had been distributed for economic self-sufficiency of jobless youth.
Besides technical training of youth, a project of giving financial assistance to them for starting their own business has also been launched, he added.
The Chief Minister said that laptops of billions of rupees had been given to talented students throughout the province and a self-employment scheme had been started for economic autonomy of youth.
He said: "Today, we will have to once again pledge that we will ensure effective policy for increasing the capabilities of the youth and a strategy according to modern age demands."