RAWALPINDI, Jan 17: The Punjab government will establish the first ever training centre as a pilot project for the vocational training of adult beggars in Rawalpindi to make them a productive part of the society.

Punjab Minister for Social Welfare Zile Subhani Usman said this during a meeting held at the office of the city district nazim here on Wednesday.

City District Nazim Raja Javed Ikhlas, DCO Irfan Elahi, EDO community development and DO social welfare also attended the meeting.

The minister said the centre was part of the provincial government’s programme under which training centers would be established in all major cities of the province to enable the beggars to earn their livelihood with respect and honour.

The minister said the Punjab Chief Minister Ch Pervaiz Elahi had released a Rs10 million fund for the construction of a social welfare complex for the orphan at Khanna Road.

She said tenders for the project had already been floated and work in this regard would start soon.

She asked the city district government to provide funds for the construction of boundary wall of the social welfare complex.

The minister said a helpline would also be set up in the social welfare department with its centre based in Lahore. The center will receive complaints and suggestions from all major cities of the province to improve the performance of the department.

Raja Javed Ikhlas assured the provincial minister that the city district government would provide funds for construction of boundary wall of the social welfare complex.