Punjab govt relaunches laptop scheme after 7-year hiatus

• Govt says students will be given latest laptops. 
• Meeting discusses promotion of higher education.
• Marriyum Aurangzeb, Azma Bukari attend meeting.

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Friday approved the resumption of laptop scheme after a seven-year hiatus. 

The provincial government said the students of Punjab would be given latest laptops again after a gap of seven years.

This was decided in the meeting presided by CM Maryam about higher education sector reforms wherein detailed briefing was also given on promotion of higher education, laptop and transport facility for students.

The forum was apprised that over 0.65 million students were studying in private and public universities in Punjab. Among the students studying in universities, the proportion of boys was 44% and the proportion of girls was 56%, the meeting was briefed.

Senior Provincial Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Provincial Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat, Information Minister Azma Zahid Bukhari, the chief secretary, secretary higher education and other officials also attended the meeting.

On May 26, 2023, then-special assistant to prime minister (SAPM) on Youth Affairs Shaza Fatima Khawaja had said the government would re-launch the laptop scheme in 2023 under the umbrella of the Prime Minister Youth Programme.

Khawaja had shared that under the scheme 100,000 laptops would be provided to the youth.

Regretting that the previous government halted the scheme, she had pointed out that laptops provided by the last Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government had enabled the youth to continue their education and jobs during COVID-19.

Meanwhile, CM Maryam also said that her government was going to provide 20,000 electric bikes to students across the province as well.

The CM, on March 19, approved a plan to provide 20,000 electric bikes to students on easy installments.

“E-bikes are essential to reduce pollution, but currently they are not suitable because of battery theft and low mileage,” she said.

She also said the government had decided to provide petrol bikes along with electric bikes on easy installments.