FAISALABAD: Mainstreaming of women is imperative and Punjab government has taken bold and revolutionary steps in this respect including allocation of Rs2 billion to provide interest free loans to women under Women Entrepreneurs Financing Scheme (WEFS), said Hameeda Wahid-ud-Din Provincial Minister for Women Development.
She was distributing certificates among the women who have successfully completed Domestic Workers Training Program initiate by Punjab Vocational Training Council (PVTC) and financed by Women Development Department.
Underlining the importance of women in socio-economic development, she said that Women Development Department was established in 2012 under Punjab Women Empowerment Package. This policy document is comprised of multiple reforms in legal, administrate and constitutional spheres, she said, adding that it will also provide new initiatives to safeguard the women’s rights and is expected to transform the socioeconomic status of women by exploiting opportunities currently available to the women folk.
She told that under the economic initiative of this package, the quota for women in Public sector has been enhanced form 5 to 15 percent in addition to extending relaxation of upper age limit up to 3 years across the board to female candidates. Similarly, all contractual women employees have been allowed to avail one additional chance of transfer to the placement of the residence of their spouse in case of marriage, she added.
Continuing, she said that Punjab Day Care Fund has also been established d to support working women by making their work places women friendly on co finance basis. In this connection an initial grant of Rs. 100 million has been provided to the fund for further disbursement. “It will provide funds under an open proposed mechanism for NPO’s, NGO’s, CBO’s and public sector organizations”, she added.
Regarding interest free loans for women, she told that Bank of Punjab has announced women entrepreneurship training scheme for loans to undertake commercial ventures. These include, day care centers, Bakeries, eateries, catering, furniture, interior, designing, boutiques, fitness gyms, event management, vocational institutes, driving schools, jewelry and clothing and accessories etc.
Regarding domestic workers training program, she told that during first phase of this program training will be provided to ten thousand women.
Earlier, Engineer Ahmad Hasan, President District Board of PVTC told that this district contains 7 main campuses which are attached with 12 sub campuses. He told that these campuses are providing training in 31 different trades and are capable of providing training to ten thousand students per annum. He said that training is being provided in the market driven program and hence the employability ratio of our passed out students is around 74 percent.
