Fiscal Year 2019-20: Senate body approves MoS&T's demand for Rs 3.6 billion under PSDP

A parliamentary panel on Thursday approved the demand of Ministry of Science and Technology for Rs 3.6 billion against its 49 projects under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for the financial year 2019-20.
The Senate Standing Committee on Science and Technology met here with Mushtaq Ahmed in the chair to review the ministry's budgetary allocation and its utilisation as well as scrutiny of PSDP proposals for the next fiscal year.
The committee was informed that the Ministry of Science and Technology has demanded allocation of Rs 3.6 billion for the financial year 2019-20 for 49 projects under the PSDP. The Ministry has demanded Rs 2.364 billion for 30 new projects and Rs 1.205 billion for 19 ongoing projects.
The Ministry of Planning Development and Reform has given an indication of Rs 3.07 billion for 33 projects. This allocation is almost double than previous year's allocation which was Rs 1.48 billion rupees. The committee, however, noted that even this amount is not enough and the science and technology sector needs to be put on priority.
The committee chairman said that only Rs 1.5 billion were allocated of the total budget of Rs 6 trillion for the current financial year. The committee endorsed the demands of the ministry while saying that there is dire need to increase the funds for research and development to meet the modern world requirements.
Parliamentarians expressed serious concerns over the reports of irregularities and mismanagement in the ministry and its departments while saying that indiscriminate action should be taken across the board against corrupt practices.
Secretary Science and Technology Yasmeen Masood while briefing the committee on irregularities said that several cases have been sent to Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for inquiry.
The committee observed that no inquiry has been completed even after the passage of 15 years. The committee was informed that people go to courts against these inquiries, besides there are lacunas in the rules as well. The committee expressed serious concerns while saying that some elements are being mixed in sugar which results in cancer.
The director general Pakistan Council of Renewable Energy Technologies (PCRET) said that the department has promoted renewable energy in the country but did not get a single project under the PSDP during that last 8 years. There is lack of coordination among different organisations/departments.
The meeting was also given compliance status on committee's earlier recommendations regarding low research & development budgets of attached departments, poor departmental structures, ineffective in-house inquiries, capacity issues, industry linkages, pay packages and regularisation of contractual employees.
Regarding the public petition of a professional engineering technologist regarding clarification of the term professional engineering works, the committee heard the petitioners as well as the HEC, PEC and NTC.
The committee directed HEC to resolve the problems faced by B-Tech graduates and formulate a clear policy in consultation with all those involved. The committee also hailed the successful safeguard of the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity in the recent tensions with India. The committee was of the view that this success on one hand has been possible due to the valour of the Armed Forces and at the same time it owes a great deal to investing in science and technology. The committee appreciated and paid tribute to the experts and scientists who have given this country the nuclear and missile technology. The meeting was attended among others by Senators Dr Sikandar Mandhro, Nuzhat Sadiq, Kamran Michael, Syed Muhammad Sabir Shah, Gul Bashra, secretary science and technology, and representatives from HEC, PEC, NTC and other organisations.