KARACHI, Aug 28: The government has finally decided to launch the much-awaited “Rozgar Scheme” on September 5, 2006, Dawn has learnt. The scheme was to be launched on August 29 but it was again delayed from its original launching date of July 1, 2006.

Some senior observers felt that the ministry of finance was deliberately shifting the launching date for a more conducive political environment to maximise on political dividends of the scheme for the government.

A senior official in Islamabad, however, dismissed the impression that the launching of the scheme was deferred for some political reasons. “Our people have tendency to read conspiracy even where it does not exist,” he observed.

He said non-availability of the president and secretary youth was causing delay in launching of the scheme.

“President Pervez Musharraf will inaugurate the scheme,” he said and added that the president was keeping a very tight schedule and was unable to spare time for the opening ceremony on Aug 29.

Secretary Youth Mehmud Saleem is in India for some Saarc engagements and could not make himself available for the ceremony. So the date was moved by a few days, the official said wishing not to be identified.

The Rozgar Scheme, announced in the budget, was designed to generate employment opportunities to educated youth by providing micro credits to initiate business in certain pre-identified sectors. The National Bank was to handle the scheme.

Some credible sources in the banking sector told Dawn that the NBP was all set to launch the scheme since the third week of July waiting for the government’s green signal. “This is for the third time that the government has delayed the launching of the scheme,” a source requesting anonymity told Dawn.

“In all probability the country-wide reaction to the killing of Baloch leader Akbar Bugti prompted the hierarchy in the ministry of finance to delay the launching date this time round,” a manager at a local NBP branch said.

A total of 143 branches have made special arrangements to handle this new credit product.

Federal Minister for Women Development Sumera Malik, who is said to be responsible for supervising the scheme, was not available on telephone for comments.

The scheme was claimed by the government to be an innovative initiative aimed at widening the base of the beneficiaries of high performing Pakistani economy. It envisages to create 400,000 jobs in the age bracket of 18-40 at the cost of Rs12 billion to the exchequer.

Under the scheme small loans of Rs5,000-100,000 for two to five years would be extended to qualifying candidates for community utility stores, community transport scheme and community communication centres.