All govt departments to be computerised next year: Mahtab
PESHAWAR, JANUARY 13 (APP): The NWFP Chief Minister Sardar Mahtab has declared computerisation of the entire government activities by next year.
He said that all the major provincial departments are in the process of shifting over to this technology during the current financial year while the major revenue collection system including vehicle registration, property tax and arms licensing system, is near completion.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony of Computer Exhibition-99 jointly arranged by Pakistan Science Foundation and Technological Information Centre and Technological Information Promotion System (TIPS) on Saturday, the Chief Minister said, the entire activities are being carried out on Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) basis through the private sector. As far as, the promotion of knowledge is concerned, the Chief Minister said, we have already succeeded in establishing the most modern software technological institutions under the private arrangements.
Besides, he said, we have already introduced computer classes in more that 20 Degree Colleges during the current year and Insha’Allah by the end of the next year, this facility will be extended in every college of the province. Similarly, he said, under a well-planned strategy, the school level students would also be apprised about the application and operation process of computer technology through district based computer education system. He stressed upon all the national level institutions engaged in the field, to focus on coordination, standardization and modernization of activities. The government’s role, he remarked, must be facilitating and the private sector should be more active and compete their fellows at world level.
Unfortunately, the Chief Minister said, software in Pakistan is considered by the majority of users, vendors and educational institutions as being a “free commodity” and this notion is the prime reason for the dismal failure of Pakistan to develop a viable software industry for which computer professionals are equally responsible. He said, they have failed to recognize software as a truly strategic business tool, which can help our local industry and the government to implement real computerization and can also be a major export earner. The Chief Minister said, the sorry state of affairs is that these institutions have failed to keep pace with the changes taking place in the field of computer technology and to retain their viability. They have to start offering courses on more recent trends, like Data Modelling, Data Base Management System, Artificial Intelligence, Expert and decision Support Systems, Computer Aided Software Engineering, Open Cooperative Computing and System Integration.
Appreciating the holding of such useful exhibition at Peshawar, the Chief Minister said, in fact the importance of information technology is an unchallengeable reality and in this connection he lauded the efforts of Pakistan Science Foundation, PASTIC and TIPS for their devotion and dedication.
Earlier, Dr. Khalid Mehmood, Chairman, Pakistan Science Foundation while welcoming the guests said, promotion of knowledge in computer technology among the masses especially Youth, is imperative to keep pace with the need of the hour. Keeping this fact in mind, he said, the foundation has arranged almost fourteen (14) exhibitions in different parts of the country, which attracted more than 20,000 students.
Source: Business Recorder
Date:3/14/1999
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