PESHAWAR, Feb 27: The NWFP government on Tuesday launched a social welfare scheme under which each unemployed post-graduate and senior citizen would be entitled to a stipend of Rs1000 and Rs500, respectively, in the fiscal year 2006-2007.

The scheme for senior citizens would initially cover Shangla, Kohistan and Batagram districts of the province while the scheme for the unemployed post-graduates would apply in the 22 districts of the province, Provincial Minister for Zakat, Ushr and Social Welfare Hafiz Hashmat Khan told journalists at a press conference here.

Initially, an amount of Rs39 million had been allocated for the purpose, the minister said.

Under the scheme for senior citizens, the people in the age bracket of 70 and above belonging to the three districts would submit their applications with the district officers of the Social Welfare Department and after that they would start receiving Rs500 allowance monthly, the minister said.

In response to a question about the qualification of senior citizens, the minister said in case the department concerned received the lesser number of applications, the age-limit of the candidates might be relaxed to accommodate the required number of applicants being covered by the scheme.

He said under the same scheme, un-employed post-graduates who had passed out in 2005-2006 would be entitled for a stipend of Rs1000 per month after they had submitted their applications to the District Social Welfare officers in the 22 districts of the province.

Mr Hashmat said that certified students from universities of Shahdat-ul-Aalamia and Wifaq Hai Madaris would also be entitled for the stipend. The provincial government, he said, had so far received 928 applications under the post-graduate scheme from 10 districts of the province with Bannu, the hometown of the chief minister Akram Khan Durrani, on top with 292 applications.

The chairman of the newly-established institute for the destitute, Mr Abdullah, who was also present on the occasion, said that the provincial government had also started a carrier stipend programme.

Under the programme, he said, a competitive examination for orphans would be held in all 984 union councils of the province to select more than 2000 children. The children selected under the programme would be provided free education up to the post-graduation level and this competitive examination would be conducted every year, he announced.

Similarly, he said, the students who could not continue their education after passing the matriculation examinations would be provided a scholarship of Rs2000/- per month under a vocational training programme of the scheme to make them useful citizens of the province.

The minister said in order the make the scheme successful, committees had been constituted at district levels and they would be headed by the district nazim concerned while the DCOs would act as chairmen.

The Executive District Officer (EDO) of Finance and Planning Department, principal of local college, district social welfare officer and any other member recommended by the DCO concerned would also be member of the committee, he said.

The committee, he said, would be responsible for collecting information about qualified youths and senior citizens from the educational institutions and help of Nadra would also be sought to verify the eligibility of the candidates.