Rs 6b project to promote I. Tech in country: Atta Industrial progress through I. Tech promotion top priority: Anwar | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Rs 6b project to promote I. Tech in country: Atta Industrial progress through I. Tech promotion top priority: Anwar

MIRPUR- Federal Minister for Science and Technology, Dr Attaur Rehman has said that the government has chalked out Rs 6 billion revolutionary plans for the speedy progress of the Information Technology in the country including Azad Kashmir during the current fiscal year.

He was addressing the inaugural ceremony of the AJK office of the Kashmir Software Export Board here. The office was established by the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology for the sake of the development and promotion of the Information Technology sector in the liberated territory. The ceremony was also addressed by AJK President Major Gen. Retd. Sardar Muhammad Anwar Khan and President AJK Chamber of Commerce and Industry Zulfiqar Abbasi.

Earlier, the AJK President inaugurated the office of the KSEB. The office, the outcome of the untiring office of the AJKCCI, will execute the proposed gigantic project of establishment of Software Technology Park in Mirpur in the near future. The Park is scheduled to be completed jointly be the AJKCCI and the KSEB by the end of this month.

A comprehensive plan has been chalked out by the government for the speedy progress of Information Technology in Azad Kashmir, disclosed Sardar Muhammad Anwar Khan. President, Azad Jammu Kashmir.

Sardar Anwar said that speedy industrial progress in Azad Kashmir through the potentials of Information Technology was the top priority of the present government. He said that latest infrastructure facilities would be provided to promote IT sector in the area. The government, he said, will achieve the target of progress in this field with the cooperation of the private sector within the stipulated time frame, he added.

Dr Atta ur Rehamn continued that it is first time that such a huge amount was allocated in the national budget for the exceptional development and promotion of the science education. He recalled that only meager amount of Rs 12 million was earlier earmarked in the budget during the previous regime. This thin amount was insufficient to achieve the target of the development of the I.T. sector, he said.

He said that the government was providing latest infrastructure for the promotion of the studies in I T and Science faculties.

The Minister said that 570 cities and towns across the country including Azad Kashmir have so far been provided with the Internet facilities. He said that the government intends to promote the IT sector up to 410 megabyte by the end of next month.

He said special attention was also being given to promote and introduce the mobile telephone facilities. He said that the use of the mobile phone all over the country has so far raised to the number of mine lakh.

Dr Attaur-Rehman said that major emphasis was being given for the promotion of the education of information technology. He said that after the five-year extension and uplift plan, at least one hundred thousand-lakh graduates of IT studies would be produced every year.
Source: The Nation
Date:4/10/2002