Punjab’s government, under Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s “CM Skilled Punjab” initiative, has allocated Rs 26 billion in the 2025‑26 fiscal budget to promote technical-vocational training and entrepreneurship. A newly formed Skills Development & Entrepreneurship Department will merge existing bodies like PSDF, TEVTA, PVTC, PSDA, and PBTE to streamline and unify skill development initiatives across the province.
The Punjab Skills Development Fund (PSDF), the country’s largest skills fund, will implement flagship programs such as:
- Tabeer – Rs 2.7 billion allocated for over 2,500 international job placements.
- Mein Digital – Rs 1 billion for training 3,000 rural women in digital skills.
- Pehchan – Rs 870 million to provide skills training to 2,250 transgender individuals.
This strategic investment aims to empower youth, reduce unemployment, and enhance Pakistan’s skilled labor force for local and international markets.
Punjab commits Rs 26 billion to youth empowerment in 2025‑26, consolidating all technical-vocational bodies into one department. The funding fuels major PSDF programs: Tabeer for global placements, Mein Digital for rural women, and Pehchan for transgender skill training — targeting high-value local and international employment.
skills empowerment, vocational training, youth entrepreneurship
