Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said the government had presented a historical budget 2023-24 specifically designed for youth to help start their entrepreneurship activities that would also create more jobs in the country. He said that the confidence and the hope could be restored by eliminating disappointments and ensuring socio-economic development of the country. “By the will of Allah Almighty, the upcoming year will be the year of increased income generation of the people and the country,” he said in a statement issued by the Prime Minister Office. This was the budget for economic stability and quick development in various sectors including industry, agriculture, information technology and energy, he said adding that the budget would also provide the youth with the opportunity to create jobs for others by starting their own entrepreneurship. “Youth are the country’s future and saving their future has always been my top priority,” he added. PM Shehbaz said with the help of initiatives announced by the government in the budget 2023-24, the youth would become the architects of Pakistan’s development by starting their own businesses in IT, industry and agriculture sectors. He said the government was providing 100,000 laptops and small loans to the youth on concessional rates for their startups. The government, he said had also offered tax exemptions in the Budget 2023-24 for businesses in IT for encouragement of the youth. The prime minister said the Rs 2000 billion Kissan Package would further expedite the country’s journey of agriculture development and prosperity. He said the government would offer more facilities in the agriculture sector through the budget 2023-24 to ensure food security and to make the youth an important stakeholder in the agriculture development of the country. He said the farmers and the youth of the country would become prosperous by availing the agriculture and business loans offered by the government in the budget. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed for the upgradation of Main Line (ML-1) of Pakistan Railways on priority basis and said that the government was working on the revival of railways on urgent basis. The prime minister said that ML-1 was the backbone of Pakistan Railways and in the future, Pakistan would provide trade corridor facilities to the regional countries through its railways and sea-ports systems. The prime minister chaired a meeting to review reforms in Pakistan Railways and and upgradation of ML-1. The meeting was attended by Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar, Minister for Commerce Syed Naveed Qamar, Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique and other relevant officials, PM office Media Wing said in a press release. During the meeting, the prime minister observed that people were being facilitated through motorways, public transport, health and education initiatives, completed during the PML-N tenures. The meeting was apprised of the ongoing reforms and digitalization of railways. In the aftermath of last year’s devastating floods, Pakistan Railways revived its operations on emergency basis whereas digitalization work was underway. Moreover, the ticketing system was completely digitalized, it was informed. The meeting was further apprised of the upgradation project of ML-1 and particularly its various options and processes. The prime minister appreciated post-flood efforts of Pakistan Railways for the restoration of its operations. Separately, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that special measures had been included in the fiscal budget 2023-24 for the uplift of merged tribal areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Expressing his resolve to transform Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as cradle of peace, the prime minister regretted that the previous government had altogether neglected the development and progress of the province. The prime minister expressed these views during a meeting with a delegation of Pakistan Muslim League-N leadership from the province, PM Office Media Wing said in a press release. The prime minister assured that the federal government would ensure that the residents of KP should fully avail of its health and educational projects. He further said that talented youth of the province would be provided with laptops and loans on affordable terms, adding the farmers would be given quality seed and timely supply of urea, besides equipping them with the latest technology.