Ministry of information technology & communication, attached depts : Parliamentary panel recommends Rs32.235bn allocation for 62 projects

ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel Wednesday recommended Rs32.235 billion for 62 projects of the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication and its attached organizations under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for 2022-23.

The National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication met with Ali Khan Jadoon in the chair here on Wednesday, where senior officials of the ministry gave briefing on the ongoing and proposed development projects.

The committee was informed that the ministry has demanded Rs32.235 billion for 62 projects under the PSDP 2022-23. These included Rs16.843 billion for 33 ongoing and Rs15.39 billion for 29 new development projects.

Major chunk of development projects was proposed for the Special Communication Organization (SCO), which operates in Azad Jammu Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan. The SCO has demanded Rs18.62 billion against 27 projects under the PSDP 2022-23. The SCO has demanded Rs6.521 billion for nine ongoing projects, Rs7.243 billion for two new approved projects and Rs4.5 billion for new under approval projects.

Colonel Muhammad Saadi Manzoor Rana, Director Development HQ SCO briefed the committee on PSDP projects. The SCO has demanded Rs418.451 million for construction of data center for providing cloud-based services in AJK and GB, Rs1.22 billion for expansion of cellular services in cities and towns of the AJK and the GB, Rs708.64 million for protection of and upgradation of Pak-China Phase-I OFC project for establishment of cross-border connectivity projects AJK and GB and Rs1.168 billion for upgradation of transmission network and replacement of optical fibre cable in AJ&K and GB. The SCO official informed the committee that the organisation intends to launch S-paisa in AJK and GB.

The committee approved SCO PSPD proposals, while terming it crucial for development of the area.

The ministry demanded Rs572.80 million for the implementation of the smart office project in federal ministries. Whereas, Rs95 million was demanded the “One Patient One ID” in the federal capital.

In addition, an amount of Rs1,950 million has been demanded for an effective cyber parliament project. The MoITT official said that phase one of Effective Cyber Parliament will be completed by January 2023. He added that this system would automatise the attendance and voting procedure in the parliament. This will also make the proceedings of the parliament paperless, matching it with the style pursued in cabinet meetings.

A sum of Rs901 million has been demanded for the IT professionals certification scheme, whereas, an amount of Rs371 million has been demanded for the standardization of the IT industry.

The MoITT further demanded Rs473 million for the establishment of 25 software parks in Phase-I. It was further revealed that the construction work of Islamabad Technology Park was to start from the next month financed by EXIM Bank of Korea. The construction is expected to be completed by June 2024.

The ministry also demanded Rs274 million for rime analytics and smart policing project as well as, Rs1,922 million for Cyber Security for Digital Pakistan project.

Minister of Information Technology and Telecommunications Syed Aminul Haque said that 40 ministries had become paperless with the efforts of the MoITT. He also revealed that the target for IT exports was set at $3.5 billion; however, the ministry was striving to increase the exports to $6 billion by 2023.

Senior officials of the National Information and Technology Board (NITB) presented a comprehensive briefing to the committee regarding a project to digitise patients’ medical history.

The standing committee questioned the jurisdiction of the Health Ministry on a project, which it believes falls under the mandate of the IT Ministry.

The NITB officials said that they are working on the “One Patient One ID” project on the recommendation of the Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination.

They had started the work on the infrastructure of the project after receiving formal approval from the Ministry of Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives.

Its software has been successfully developed and its testing is in the final stages.

The project is estimated to incur a total cost of Rs90 million. Once completed, One Patient One ID will free patients from registering again and again in hospitals before every checkup, saving crucial time wasted in this process.

All hospitals will be interconnected under the project and their management will easily be able to view the details including the medical history of patients within seconds by using a unique ID.

Irrespective of the benefits of the project, members of the Standing Committee said that the NITB should have sought permission from the Ministry of IT before starting the project. The NITB officials said that they will halt work on the launch of the project and will consult Planning Ministry on whether to go ahead with the project or scrap it completely.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022