KP scheme allows labourers to send children abroad on scholarships
Govt announces health cards for all, grants for mine workers
Photo: File
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa labourers will be able to send their children abroad on scholarships from next year, according to Minister for Labour and Culture Shaukat Ali Yousafzai. It is a part of the province’s new education scheme.
“I discussed the programme with Chief Minister Mahmood Khan,” he said while speaking on SAMAA TV morning show Naya Din on Wednesday. The scheme was approved after the availability of funds.
Five or 10 students will be chosen on merit and sent abroad next year.
“There will be no interviews or any other procedures,” he said. “Students with the highest marks will be selected.”
He added that the children of labourers are just as capable as students from wealthy backgrounds. They deserve the same opportunities too.
The KP government also announced 500 scholarships for public school students of classes seven to 11.
“We will be increasing scholarship quota from 300 to 500,” KP Elementary and Secondary Education Minister Shahram Tarakai told SAMAA TV.
Sehat Insaf Cards
Yousufzai said that “100%” people in KP will receive the Sehat Insaf Card by January 31, 2021. People in Shangla and Buner districts will start receiving health cards from December 1.
“Over 40 million people will benefit from the scheme,” he said. “It will enable them to receive free medical treatment worth Rs1 million at any hospital in Pakistan.”
He said that the KP government had first issued health cards to half of all households during its previous term, but a number of people were left out.
“It was Prime Minister Imran Khan’s wish to provide health cards to everyone this time,” Ali added.
Grants for mine workers
The minister said that 70% of labourers in KP are working in coal mines and no protection was given to them by the Labour Department.
A grant has been set aside for them. Under the scheme, the following will be provided to the mine workers now:
- Rs17,500 monthly
- Rs700,000 death grant
- Rs200,000 marriage grant (girls)
- Free healthcare
- Free education
- Scholarships
- Pensions
“There were objections when I took this initiative of taking labourers under my own department,” he said.
