Punjab finalises soft loans scheme

LAHORE:The Punjab government Tuesday finalised Punjab Rozgar Programme through which half million to one million rupees soft loans would be disbursed in the first phase. In the second phase, the limit of disbursing soft loans will be increased up to five million rupees.

The approval was given in a meeting chaired by Minister for Industries and Trade Mian Aslam Iqbal along with Minister for Finance Hashim Jawan Bakhat. Earlier, final proposal for the scheme was submitted to the steering committee.

The minister addressing the participants in the meeting disclosed that the PTI government was initiating a mega programme of disbursing soft loans in collaboration with the Bank of Punjab for the revival of business affected due to corona pandemic and for launching new business. He pointed out that Rs 9 billion have been earmarked for this mega programme in the current fiscal year. Aslam Iqbal apprised that a transparent mechanism will be devised for the provision of soft loans. He stressed that these soft loans will be disbursed under a transparent system irrespective of any political affiliation. The minister underscored that economic activities will be increased along with generating new employment opportunities with the provision of soft loans under such a mega programme.

uplift schemes: The Punjab Provincial Development Working Party in its meeting approved four development schemes of various sectors at an estimated cost of Rs 4.580 billion.

The schemes are: Integrated Plan for Development of Agriculture in Tribal Area of Koh-e-Suleman, DG Khan, at a cost of Rs 191.597 million; Dualization of Road from Uch Sharif to Ahmedpur East, length 27.25 km, District Bahawalpur (Revised) at a cost of Rs 2.323 billion; Construction of Dual Carriageway from Daska to Sambrial Road, length 16.00 km, in District Sialkot (Revised) at a cost of Rs1.536billion and Upgradation of Neuro Surgery Department at BV Hospital, Bahawalpur, at a cost of Rs530.681million.

bill: The leaders of All Parties Tahaffuz Namoos Sahaba and Ahle Bait (RA) Action Committee have condemned the “conspiracies” against the unanimously passed Tahaffuz Buniyad Islam Bill by Punjab Assembly and attempts to prevent it from becoming a law.

They warned that making the unanimously passed bill controversial would pave the way for opening floodgates of sectarianism in the province since the bill is aimed at eradicating the very basis of sectarian strife and tension. In a statement, the convener of the action committee, Maulana Abdul Rauf Farooqi and other leaders said that a campaign was being run against the

bill which was unanimously passed after due legislative process.