[Pakistan] Budget 2003-04: Rs 3.25b for 120 projects in IT, science sectors

["Irfan Khan" <khania2@super.net.pk>]

Rs 3.25b for 120 projects in IT, science sectors
Daily Times, By Shahzad Raza
6/9/2003
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_9-6-2003_pg7_41
  

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has proposed Rs 2 billion for the 
Information Technology (IT) & Telecom sector and Rs 1.25 billion for 
Science and Technology (S&T) with a total of 54 projects in the IT 
and 66 in S&T sector.  

Of the total outlay for the IT and Telecom sector, Rs 30 million will 
be provided from foreign aid, while the remaining from government 
funding. The S&T sector will get Rs 32 million from foreign 
borrowings while the remaining amount will be provided by the 
government.  

The major ongoing-projects in the IT sector include PAKSAT-I, 
Educational Intranet, Establishment of Multimedia Platform and 
Coastal Highway Links which are awarded Rs 308.122 million, Rs 49 
million, Rs 8.5 million and Rs 322 million, respectively.  

Four new projects were approved in the IT sector. They are GIS 
projects (Rs 200 million), Programme for Linux (Rs 150 million), 
Provision of IT Teachers & Computer Labs (Rs 1945 million) and 
Automation of Courts and Bar Rooms (Rs 100 million) and an outlay of 
Rs 20 million, Rs 50 million, Rs 60 million and Rs 100 million, 
respectively has been allocated for these projects.  

Besides, the project of GSM for AJ&K will receive Rs 100 million, 
International Gateway and Earth Station for AJ&K Rs 117.6 million, 
Rural Digital Communication Uplift Project Rs 250 million, laying of 
5,000 GSM Lines Rs 23.6 million, Fiber Optic Northern Areas Rs 150 
million and Telecom Regulation and Privatisation Support Project Rs 
85 million.  

In the S&T sector the government has proposed Rs 79.5 million for 
Survey for Extension of Continental Shelf of Pakistan, Rs 200 million 
for PCSIR Industrial Linkage Programme, Rs 50 million for BMR of R&D 
Capabilities, Rs 200 million for Teachers and Researchers 
Scholarships, Rs 50.9 million for Mitigating of Drought Disaster in 
Cholistan Desert and Rs 10 million for Strengthening of Polytechnic 
Institutes of Punjab. These are all major ongoing projects.  

The government also proposed Rs 50.7 million for Establishment of 
Mechanical Centre at PCSIR, Rs 10 million for Pak-Turkey Joint 
Research Fund, Rs 15 million for Ground Surveillance Radar and Rs 15 
million for Up gradation of Technical Service Centre, Lahore. These 
are the new projects to be initiated by the S&T Division.  

Health Division: The government has proposed a total amount of Rs 
4.37 billion for the health sector. Of the total amount, Rs 444 
million will be provided from foreign aid and Rs 3928.52 from 
government funding.  

The budget proposes Rs 2.1 billion for National Programme for Family 
Planning and Primary Healthcare, Rs 400 million for Expanding 
Programme of Immunization, Rs 175 million for Enhanced HIV/AIDS 
Control Programme, Rs 225 million for Women Health Project and Rs 60 
million for Primary Healthcare Awareness Programme. These are the 
ongoing projects. The government has also approved several new 
projects including Addition of Liver Transplantation Facility at SIUT 
Karachi with a proposed outlay of Rs 400 million, Liver 
Transplantation Facility at Lahore with an outlay of Rs 200 million 
and Khalifa Gul Nawaz Hospital Complex Bannu with an estimated cost 
of Rs 200 million e These financial allocations are for the year 2003-
2004.  

Education Ministry & HEC: The budget has allocated Rs 4.47 billion 
for the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and Rs 3.1 billion for the 
education ministry.  

The projects related to primary and rural education have a lion’s 
share in the allocations for the education ministry with research-
oriented activities being the major focus of the HEC’s allocations  



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