The Sindh government has completed planning for a new initiative to offer educational, financial, skills development and employment opportunities to youth in the province, known as the Sindh Youth Card.
The program is likely to be officially opened by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in the final week of August.
Sindh Youth Card to Benefit 100,000 People
Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs of the Sindh Sindh Sardar Muhammad Bakhsh Khan Mahar said that the Youth Card is being launched based on the special instructions of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
The project aims to increase the access to education, professional training and employment opportunities for youth and promote their financial independence.
The government will give out 100,000 Youth Cards in the first phase to eligible youth aged 15 to 29.
The program will be spread across all 30 districts of Sindh, so that the youth of all areas of the province will reap the advantage of the program.
Scholarships and Higher Education Opportunities
One of the key features of the Sindh Youth Card will be support for higher education.
Cardholders will be eligible for opportunities including:
- University scholarships
- Advanced studies in Pakistan
- Opportunities for education abroad
- Skills development and professional training
- Financial assistance for eligible youth
The program will offer young people extra chances to further their education and career development that they might not otherwise have if they had financial challenges.
Interest-Free Loans and Financial Support
The Sindh Youth Card will also be a springboard for obtaining interest free loans and financial aid.
The provincial government says these buildings will support young people to launch their careers, learned new skills and discover financial independence.
The program may also help aspiring entrepreneurs and youth find resources to start or grow income generating opportunities.
Discounts on Transport and Other Services
Youth Card holders will be provided with extra privileges in addition to educational and economic assistance.
These are expected to include discounts on:
- Local public transportation
- Train travel
- Selected public services
- Certain private-sector services
The government’s intention is that these concessions will ease the financial burden on young people’s everyday lives and will help them to benefit from education, employment and other opportunities.
Who Will Be Eligible for the Sindh Youth Card?
The first phase will be a focus on youth aged 15-29 years.
The program is also for applicants who have domicile in Sindh. The government has said that the initiative will be rolled out in all the districts of the province.
All eligibility criteria and application procedures should be published prior to the registration.
Online Registration to Be Introduced
The process for registering for Sindh Youth Card will be online with a streamlined application form.
The full registration procedure, application form and official registration portal has not been issued by the provincial government yet. Therefore, youths interested in the program need to await the official announcement by the government before providing personal information on any unofficial website.
The Youth Card will reportedly be distributed via Jazz Bank and more details regarding registration, verification and distribution of the card will be announced soon.
Aimed at Expanding Opportunities for Youth
Minister Sardar Muhammad Bakhsh Khan Mahar said the program will be targeting youth who have so far not had easy access to government support.
The Sindh Youth Card has been designed to give youth better opportunities to enhance their education, employment and financial independence by offering them scholarships, financial assistance, interest-free loans, and skills training and transport concessions in one single package.
The Sindh Youth Card is envisioned to be a big initiative targeting 100,000 youth between the ages of 15 and 29 in the initial phase. The program could be able to help the young people of Sindh by providing them scholarships, skills training, interest free loans, financial assistance and travel discounts.
It is believed that the initiative would be opened in the final week of August and detailed information about online registration, eligibility, and dates to make applications will be shared by the Sindh government in the coming days.
