The Prime Minister's Fee Reimbursement Scheme for Less Developed Areas will be officially launched at Quetta tomorrow (May 21) under the aegis of Prime Minister's Youth Programme.
While finalising the programme here at Prime Minister's House on Monday, Maryam Nawaz, Chairperson of the Prime Minister's Youth Programme, at the Prime Minister's House, said that the present democratic government had accorded top priority to the areas neglected in the past and this time both Balochistan and FATA were placed high on the list of the progressive agenda of development.
She maintained that the Premier Sharif's directives would be implemented in letter and spirit by ensuring the outreach of the PMYP to all areas of the country adding that the PMYP was apolitical developmental scheme aimed at providing capital along with skilled training to the youth of the country. She said that maximum transparency and merit in all the schemes of the PMYP would be followed. Highlighting the vital features of the scheme, she revealed that the scheme is aimed at encouraging the talented students of the under-privileged areas in their pursuit of higher education by reimbursing 100 per cent cost of the educational expenses of the post- graduate students undertaking Masters and PhD courses. The chairperson further revealed that under the scheme the government would directly pay to the relevant university at an average Rs40,000/- of annual educational expenses on behalf of the students undertaking higher education.
Separately, National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) Board on Monday approved 22 development projects of Rs 257.3 million to impart training in different trades.
Around 4060 jobless male and female youth across the country would be provided technical and vocational training under Prime Minister's Hunarmand Pakistan Programme.  The projects were approved in NAVTTC's 12th Board of Members (BoM) meeting held under by Chairman of Nestle Pakistan and member NAVTTC Board, Syed Yawar Ali. Earlier Executive Director NAVTTC, Khalid Hanif, in his opening remarks highlighted role and functions of NAVTTC. He said the importance of TEVT was being realized and recognized the world over for economic stability and added skilled manpower is a key to socio-economic development. Being a Secretary of the Board, Khalid Hanif also gave details of each of agenda items.  He said out of 22 development projects, one pilot project was of nationwide to be launched in collaboration with Pakistan Air Force (PAF), in which 800 jobless male and female youth in 18 different demand driven vocational trades will be trained.–Staff reporter/APP