Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar says more than 1.6 million people will get jobs through the largest employment scheme worth Rs30 billion. Under the agreement, the Bank of Punjab will provide soft loans to successful applicants. This scheme will make the youth economically self-reliant and the owners of small and medium scale industries, as well as the traders facing financial crunch due to corona pandemic, will be able to develop their businesses. The chief minister said this at a ceremony of the signing of an agreement of Punjab Rozgar Scheme at his office on Friday. President of The Bank of Punjab Zafar Masood and MD Punjab Small Industries Corporation Jamil Ahmed Jamil signed the agreement. Provincial Ministers Hashim Jawan Bakht, Fayyaz ul Hassan Chohan, ACS (Local Govt), Secretary Finance and Secretary Information were also present. The CM said loans from Rs 100,000 to 10 million will be offered to 20 to 50 years old applicants at the very minimal interest rate. Small loans will be provided for 339 sub-sectors of 23 assorted sectors, including 26 sub-sectors of the textile industry. This scheme will promote cottage industry, he added. The government plans to transform individual skills as an investment and this scheme will prove a game changer initiative in this regard, he added. The CM was briefed that 9,428 persons applied for loans and of them 6,138 applications were turned down because they did not deposit fee while 3035 applications are submitted along-with fee and PSIC has processed 1619 applications. Also, Mr Buzdar chaired a meeting at his office to review steps for rehabilitation of affectees of Hafeez Centre fire. The CM directed that a mechanism be devised in three days adding that the government will take steps for compensation of losses. Our sympathies are with the traders and they will not be left alone, he assured. Finance Minister Hashim Jawan Bakht, Secretary Finance, Secretary Information and Deputy Commissioner Lahore attended the meeting. Mr Buzdar directed the Home Department to check fire safety arrangements in high-rise buildings, shopping malls and commercial plazas and a circular has also been issued to commissioners and DCs for a comprehensive survey. Fire safety arrangements will be checked through survey teams consisting of additional deputy commissioner (revenue), district officer 1122, civil defence officer, district officer (industries) and the representative of housing department/development authorities. The management of all such buildings will be bound to keep fire-safety equipment functional along with arrangements for safe emergency exit. Similarly, the owners will also be responsible for the fire-fighting system and the concerned administration and civil defence officials will be bound for regular monitoring of fire-fighting arrangements and submission of reports to the CM Office. Mr Buzdar also said total elimination of polio disease is a priority agenda of the government. Chief Minister Buzdar also took notice of firing at famous qawwal Sher Miandad during dacoity in Faisalabad and sought a report from the RPO along-with early arrest of the accused. He also asked the administration to provide best treatment facilities to the injured Sher Miandad.