ISLAMABAD, Jan 18: The federal government has tentatively approved a National Employment Policy that seeks to create each year 1 million jobs in industrial, agricultural, housing and construction sectors, says a senior government official.

“We have also recommended in the new policy the creation of ‘model pilot’ employment schemes in Sindh and Balochistan to offer jobs to unemployed youths,” the chairman of the Policy Planning Cell of the Ministry of Labour, Manpower and Overseas Pakistanis, Dr Ghayur Sabur, told Dawn here on Thursday.

The caretaker government, he said, had accepted over 95 per cent proposals contained in the new employment policy which was expected to be formally approved after Jan 29. The government has asked the cell to also propose measures to start pilot projects in the gems and jewellery and livestock sectors in the NWFP and Balochistan respectively.

He said the recommendations were ready and now it was up to the caretakers to announce the policy or leave it for the elected government.

He said that over one million jobs could be created every year in industrial, housing and construction sectors, with a view to reducing unemployment.

He said detailed recommendations had also been given for creating jobs in the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) sector by promoting the cottage industry.

Responding to a question, Dr Sabur said he personally believed that the next elected government should approve and implement the new policy so that its ownership could be accepted in letter and spirit. “But our job is to give the policy while the rest will be handled by the caretakers or the future government.”

He said he did not believe that creating one million jobs annually was a difficult task. “If the government implements the new employment policy, more than one million jobs could be created every year,” he said.

Answering another question, he said that through pilot projects 100 assured jobs would be created every month in rural areas and small villages, initially in Sindh and Balochistan and later it could also be expanded to the Punjab and the NWFP.