Govt to provide loans for establishment of utility stores.

ISLAMABAD -- Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar on Thursday said that Phase-II of Prime Minister Kamyab Jawan Program in collaboration with Ministry of Industries will give loans for establishment of Utility Stores' franchises.

He was chairing a meeting on PM's Kamyab Jawan Programme (PMKJP) for establishing utility stores franchises across Pakistan here.

The meeting was attended by Minister for Industries, Hammad Azhar, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Youth Affairs, Muhammad Usman Dar, Managing Director Utility Stores and senior officials of the government.

Asad Umar said that lending to such franchises has the benefit of ensuring that loans are secured and these stores would effectively play the role of market stabilizers.

He further said that existence of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is a prerequisite for successfully monitoring and running such stores.

Hammad Azhar said that his Ministry would assess the proposed plan of lending to about 1000 operational...