ISLAMABAD: The US government will launch second phase of its ‘merit and needs based scholarship programme’ which will benefit 3,000 deserving but financially constrained Pakistani students.
This was announced by USAID Pakistan Mission Director Gregory Gottlieb at a meeting with 29 vice-chancellors of partner universities and Executive Director, Higher Education Commission Professor Mukhtar Ahmad here yesterday.
The US government through USAID has decided to expand the ‘Merit and Needs Based Scholarship Programme’ through HEC by providing an additional $23.1m to benefit 3,000 more young and talented Pakistanis. A total of 1,807 scholarships were awarded in the first phase of the programme to financially needy students and more than 1,350 obtained undergraduate and graduate degrees.
Sharif cuts PM house budget
ISLAMABAD: The annual budget of the Prime Minister House in Pakistan has been slashed by 50 percent, from Rs800m ($7.55m) to Rs400m ($3.774m).
“Given the conduct of the previous government, 50 percent reduction is a landmark achievement straight from the prime minister, who himself has made people see a positive change practically,” an official spokesman said.
Similarly, he said, the Rs3bn annual secret fund of the Information Ministry has been abolished and discretionary funds of all the federal ministries, which were a source of huge corruption, have been done away with. The spokesman said that as per the promise of the prime minister during election campaign, Youth Business Loan of Rs100bn for the entrepreneurial youth, which will generate 2 to 3 million jobs and a huge economic activity, is being carried out transparently.
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