Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has finalised a project to establish over 100 free of cost telecom centres to serve the people of remote and far-flung areas, Business Recorder learnt on Monday.
Sources told Business Recorder that the project, indigenously designed by the PTA, would be implemented in areas where such facilities are either few or non-existent. They, however, dismissed that the IT Ministry nudged to launch the project saying PTA also approved a handsome amount for implementing it and only the modalities with other stakeholders including operators and banks are yet to be finalised.
Mobilink will also contribute over 100 telecentres whereas talks with other operators and banks are underway. We take along the operators to work out a pro-poor strategy not just to cater telephony in rural areas but also lessen the poverty by providing employment opportunities, the sources said.
When asked who would benefit from the project designed to provide telephony and employment in the rural areas, they said only those meeting the criteria set by the PTA would be eligible for opening these centres.
The National Bank of Pakistan has also decided to provide loans to the unemployed people under President's Employment Scheme, the other banks would also be approached to issue loans for telecentres, they said. "The scheme is almost ready for announcement," they said that each centre would cost Rs 50,000.
Information about villages and towns with least telecom facilities would be collected through different channels including local representatives.
He said that the PTA has designed a strategy for this purpose, which includes imparting training to selected people, assisting them how to get loans and arranging meeting with the operators who would also be enticed to support PTA efforts and establish such telecentres in rural areas.
The authority will provide all-out assistance and extend co-operation to the operators. These telecentres will offer payphone, fax and internet facilities at a single point.
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