On Thursday, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz announced possibilities for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) throughout the province as well as zero-interest loans.
Details indicate that CM Maryam launched the “Asaan Karobar Finance” and “Asaan Karobar Card” programs at a high-profile ceremony held at the Chief Minister’s Office. Among the dignitaries in attendance were top provincial ministers, representatives from the Bank of Punjab, and business executives.
The Asaan Karobar Finance Scheme provided interest-free loans with easy-to-repay installments, ranging from Rs 1 million to Rs 30 million. The Asaan Karobar Card, on the other hand, offered loans ranging from Rs500,000 to Rs1 million. The helpline 1786 provided additional information, and eligible candidates were encouraged to apply online right away.
These plans have the power to change Punjab’s and Pakistan’s future,” said CM Maryam. We have made the process of starting a business more easier than before.
The Bank of Punjab would distribute loans without requiring prior clearances like NOCs, licenses, or plans, she emphasized.
These measures, according to the chief minister, are the first of their sort in the province’s history and permit interest-free loans up to Rs 30 million. Nawaz also stated, “Land at highly subsidised rates will also be provided to support small businesses, ensuring economic inclusivity.”
The provincial administration also promised free solar systems worth up to Rs500,000 as incentives for starting businesses in export processing zones.
“SMEs will forge new routes to economic prosperity for Punjab through these initiatives,” said Maryam Nawaz. In order to support economic growth, she urged young business owners to utilize these programs.
In light of the country’s current economic difficulties, Nawaz criticized the previous four years of government, pointing to skyrocketing inflation and rising currency values. “The country has been pulled back from the brink of default,” she said, praising Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for stabilizing the economy.
She emphasized in her speech the value of industrialization for economic advancement and pledged to accelerate Punjab’s mineral development. Assuring stakeholders that the province government will continue to assist the region’s economic change, Maryam Nawaz urged them to actively participate in the industrialization process.
In the meantime, CM Maryam held a ceremony at GC University’s new Faisalabad campus to introduce the “CM Punjab Laptop Scheme” and award “Honhaar Scholarships.”
Punjab would receive 40,000 laptops as part of the plan. Faisalabad Division students also received scholarships totaling Rs200 million, of which Rs 17.6 million went to students at public universities and Rs 28.9 million to those at private universities.
In her remarks, Maryam Nawaz said, “We have made education a priority by supporting students through financial assistance and resources.” During recitations and naats, she showed sympathy to students and praised Uswa Aziz, a special needs student, for her flute performance of the national anthem.
When Nawaz visited, she sat among the pupils, spoke with them, and gave them credit for their accomplishments. She was given a dupatta with appreciation-themed phrases by one student, and a portrait of her late mother, Kulsoom Nawaz, by another.
An unprecedented moment in the history of such ceremonies was also featured on the show: a guard of honor presented by female police officers.
