PESHAWAR, Dec 15: NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani has announced a monthly allowance of Rs1,000 for unemployed postgraduates in the province under a Berozgar Allowance Scheme.

Chairing a meeting at the Frontier House here on Friday, the chief minister also directed the formation of committees in 24 districts of the province to facilitate the scheme, says a handout.

He directed the Social Welfare Department to issue a notification in this regard so that the scheme could be initiated without further delay.

He said he had announced the scheme during his budget speech last year, and expressed displeasure over what he called dilly-dallying of the concerned quarters as regards implementation on the scheme.

Mr Durrani asked the participants of the meeting to collect data of the unemployed postgraduates as early as possible and not to waste time in forming the 24 district-level committees so that the scheme could be initiated without delay.

He directed the Finance Department to release funds for the scheme forthwith. He told the authorities concerned to carry out proper publicity of the scheme through media.

“The government would take stern action for any sort of apathetic attitude in this respect,” he warned.

He directed the concerned officials to ensure implementation on the announcement of a scheme for the elderly under which the residents of districts Kohistan, Shangla and Batagram who have attained the age of 70 would be given Rs500 per month.

The mentioned districts had been affected the devastating earthquake in October 2005.