The Pakistani government has made the decision to reintroduce the Prime Minister’s Youth Laptop Scheme, and would give away 100,000 laptops costing Rs. 10.827 billion to youth all around the nation.
Prime Minister’s Youth Laptop Scheme (Phase-III) was initially approved by the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) meeting on June 29, 2022, at a cost of Rs. 8,000 million. However, the project’s scope has since been expanded, causing the cost to increase by Rs. 2,827.28 million.
According to the records, 100,000 laptops have been ordered instead of the 74,700 that had been approved, and the project’s price has been hiked upward to Rs. 10827.28 million on the Prime Minister of Pakistan’s instruction.
The records indicate that a significant chunk of the project will be funded by outside funds. The project’s foreign exchange component is worth Rs. 9,890 million out of the overall cost of Rs. 10,827.28 million, and PSDP will cover the remaining Rs. 937.280 million. The cost of one laptop will be $460, according to the paperwork.
The Prime Minister’s Youth Laptop Scheme’s updated PC-I has been accepted by the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) (Phase-III). The government had earlier in 2013 introduced Phases I and II of the PM Nationwide Laptops Scheme.
A total of 500,000 laptops have been purchased and distributed in two phases since it was introduced under the Prime Minister’s Youth Schemes in 2013 for a period of five years (I & II).
The task of implementing the programme and creating the criteria/mechanism for the distribution of laptops under it has been given to the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan.
