QUETTA: Of the 172 vocational training centres in Balochistan, 126 have been made functional by the provincial government. The centres were set up in various areas by the industries department but a majority of them were non-functional.

Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri who held the portfolio of industry and commerce in Dr Malik Baloch’s government asked the authorities concerned to make all the centres functional.

“The industries department succeeded in making 126 vocational centres functional out of the existing 172 in the province,” Small Industries Director General Saira Atta said on Wednesday.

She said the department was paying special attention to professional and vocational training of women in carpet weaving, embroidery and other fields to enable them to earn their livelihood.

“The government has increased the monthly stipend for women training at the centres from Rs 1,200 to Rs 2,000,” she said.

Published in Dawn, March 31st, 2016