ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Thursday said that human resource development in the field of Information Technology would facilitate expansion of IT and Telecom Sector in the country.
He emphasized on the early establishment of IT institutes in the under developed areas of the country to equip the youth in these areas with requisite knowledge and skills.
The Prime Minister was chairing a meeting here at the PM House on Thursday to review the status of his directives to establish IT Universities/Institutes in the under developed areas of the four provinces, AJK and Gilgit Baltistan.
The Prime Minister directed that in the cities, towns earmarked for the establishment of IT Institutes, preference should be accorded to places where infrastructure in the shape of University or College is already available.
He further directed that time-lines for the establishment of IT Institutes in respect of Universities and Colleges in accordance with his directives be fixed to ensure early benefit to the people.
The Prime Minister asked the Ministry of IT to conduct fresh survey of various under developed areas of the country on urgent basis to determine the exact needs for establishing the IT Institutes and Universities.
The survey should also focus on the future teledensity prospects of the regions, he said, adding, the model of virtual University Campus could also be adopted at some places if appropriate.
The Prime Minister, however maintained that the input of the universities and colleges where the institutes would be established be given due consideration.
Earlier Secretary IT briefed the meeting on the progress on the Prime Minister's directives and announcements for the establishment of IT Institutes and Universities in various under developed areas and regions of the country.
He mentioned that the cities/towns earmarked for the establishment of IT Institutes and Universities have been distributed into two categories. The first category includes places where basic infrastructure in the shape of university and college is available and the second category require building and infrastructure for the IT Institutes and University.
He further informed that presently around 20000 IT graduates are being produced per year while the requirement would increase in the future after adoption of new technologies in the telecom and IT sectors. The establishment of IT Institutes in the first category would be completed in one year with an estimated cost of Rs. 210 million, he added.
The IT Institutes/Universities in category two, he added, would require three years to complete with an estimated cost of Rs. 1.5 billion once the amount is made available.
The establishment of IT Institutes would create job opportunities and after introduction of modern technology and expansion of IT and Telecom sector, the job opportunities would further increase, he added.
The meeting was also attended by Minister for Finance Dr. Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Minister for Law and Justice Dr. Zaheeruddin Babar Awan, Minister for Privatization Syed Naveed Qamar, Secretary Cabinet Mrs. Nargis Sethi, Secretary Finance Dr. Waqar Masood Khan, Secretary Information Technology Saeed Ahmed Khan, Chairman Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Dr Muhammad Yaseen and Chairman Board of Investment (BOI) Saleem H Mandviwala. APP/ssks/slm 19:04/19:57/19:57.
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