LAHORE: Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA) Chairperson Irfan Qaiser Sheikh has said that the authority will increase the amount of interest-free loans for its passed out students from Rs 500 million to Rs 1,000 million. While addressing a meeting of TEVTA officials on Monday at the TEVTA Secretariat, Irfan Qaiser said that a huge amount of Rs 2,000 million was being spent on infrastructure, which was cut off by him and now the same amount would be spent on human development. “The TEVTA has decided to double the amount of interest-free loans to the TEVTA graduates as per the vision of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif,” Irfan said. The chairman said that making youth of Punjab skilled and providing them with reasonable opportunities to earn money through interest-free loans was the priority of the Punjab government. “The TEVTA is playing its part in this regard at its best,” he said. “Till now, the TEVTA in collaboration with the Akhuwat Foundation has given interest-free loans to more than 7,000 students.” Emphasising upon the need of the interest-free loans, he added that Japan and Turkey had provided such loans to its students for establishing their own set up. “Everyone can witness where these both countries stand globally.” He added that in Canada, a skilled person is being paid seven times more than a simple graduate. He expressed hoped that students, after getting interest-free loans, would play their role in strengthening of economy. He made it clear that all loans would be provided on merit.