PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has approved a scheme to provide free electric scooters to female students and working women to improve their access to education and employment.
A meeting chaired by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi reviewed the initiative, with the chief minister directing officials to take immediate steps for the distribution of the scooters.
According to a briefing, female students and working women in Peshawar will be the first beneficiaries of the scheme. In the next phase, the program will be expanded to other districts of the province.
He said that the scheme would enable women to travel easily and safely to educational institutions and workplaces. The provision of electric scooters would also reduce air pollution, he added.
CM Sohail Afridi said that the provision of free electric scooters would enable women economically.
Interest-Free Electric Bikes and E-Taxis Announced for Youth
Earlier, in order to promote employment among the youth and to provide eco-friendly options for transportation, the Punjab government has announced its plan to offer interest-free electric bikes and e-taxis for youths in the coming fiscal year.
As per official sources, the Punjab government plans to offer 50,000 electric bikes and 5,000 electric taxis with no interest financing.
This new initiative by the Punjab government is set to feature in the coming budget plan of the government, which has already been approved.
As per officials, the new initiative is designed to provide employment and help youths earn their living independently while contributing to saving the environment as well through the use of electric vehicles.
Bilal Akbar Khan, the minister of transport in Punjab, stated in his statement that those who are qualified under the eligibility criteria would be provided with electric vehicles in easy instalments without any interest.
Moreover, he further stated that facilitation would be provided in registration as well as other administrative processes.
As per the transport minister, the Punjab government is striving hard to help youths become financially independent through practical means. Thousands of people will earn their livelihood through this scheme.
He added that promoting electric mobility will help the country become less reliant on oil imports, while also reducing the levels of pollution in urban areas.
More details on the selection criteria, application procedure, and delivery process of the scheme are anticipated in the upcoming budget papers.
The program has been hailed by government officials as a major move towards job creation and mobility in the province.
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