THE Government has successfully started implementing one of its flagship programmes – Kamyab Jawan – as
Prime Minister Imran Khan, on Friday, distributed the first set of cheques — worth five million rupees in total — among successful applicants of the programme at a ceremony in Islamabad. Speaking on the occasion, the Premier emphasized the need for complete transparency in the grant of loans to the applicants.
The programme is vital in the sense that it has the potential to address two challenges that are haunting both the Government and the people i.e. unemployment and slump in the national economy. The fact that over one million applications were received under the programme in a short span of time and eighty to one hundred thousand applications are pouring in on a daily basis is reflective of level and severity of the problem of joblessness as well as the keen interest and expectations of the people from the initiative. In this backdrop, credit goes to Special Assistant for Youth Affairs Usman Dar for quick processing of applications, which has restored confidence of the youth in the ability of the government to change their lot. The Government rightly claims it cannot provide employment to each and every job-seekers but it can surely create opportunities for people to earn their livelihood in an honourable way. Allocation of Rs.100 billion for the programme is yet another testimony of the seriousness of the Government to facilitate all those who want to undertake some venture to stand financially on their own feet. However, much depends on grant of credit purely on merit and only to those who come out with a reasonable plan of investment for the purpose. We say so because in the past as well such programmes were launched with fanfare but they could not produce the desired results neither in terms of poverty reduction and employment generation nor stimulation of the economic activities due to political interference. There is, therefore, dire need that all applications are processed purely on merit, the amount of the loan is enough to initiate a worthwhile business and there is strict monitoring during implementation phase. Preference should be given to those who propose some SME that could contribute towards industrial growth and development in the country.
