ISLAMABAD: Universal Service Fund (USF) entered into contract worth Rs 3.72 billion with Ufone to provide Mobile Broadband Internet/3G services in Khuzdar and Chagai including Mashkhel Tehsil.
The contract was signed by Faisal Sattar, Chief Executive Officer, USF and Rainer Rathgeber, President Ufone here on Friday.
The contract was witnessed by Minister for Finance, Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar who was accompanied by Minister for IT and Telecom, Anusha Rehman.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony between USF and National Telecommunication Corporation (NTC) was also held at the event with regards to establishment of telecentres.
Telecenters will be providing e-service, distance learning and create employment opportunities, among various other benefits like bridging the digital divide.
Speaking on the occasion, Ishaq Dar said that it was Prime Minister's objective to pursue sound and equitable economic policies that put Pakistan on the path of sustainable economic development and in order to achieve this, support to ministry of IT would be provided in all its initiatives.
He applauded ministry of IT, USF and NTC for their effort and congratulated them on their achievements.
He also said that due to sound economic policies of the government, Pakistan has turned into an attractive destination for FDI.
Dar said the Pakistan Muslim League (N) government was embarking upon its clear roadmap to ensure financial and technology inclusion in the country.
He said social sector was the government's priority which was indicative of the fact that the present government had raised the total allocation for social safety net from Rs 40 billion to Rs 117 billion.
He also vowed to fulfil the vision of the Prime Minister for making Pakistan a developed and economically sovereign country.
Anusha Rehman was of the view that the broadband for sustainable development projects would take state of the art 3G mobile broadband service to far-flung areas at a rapid pace and in almost parity with urban areas of the country.
She said that these contracts are part of overall policy decision of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for providing maximum facilitation to remote areas of the country.
She informed that a population of around 302,048 in Khuzdar and 147,057 in Chagai would benefit from these projects and around 116 new BTS towers would also be installed.
She added that these projects would improve the lives of people, create job opportunities for them and particularly empower females.
She said that work in these areas would start in January, 2017 and would be completed within a 18 months.
Through these broadband for sustainable development projects, districts of Nal Khuzdar, Aaranji, Wadh, Saroona, Mula, Ornach, Zaehri and Karkh in Khuzdar lot and districts of Dal Bandin, Taftan and Mashkhel in Chagai lot would also be served.
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