The NWFP government agreed in principle to provide Rs 101 million for the 15 projects in the Science Technology and Information Technology (STIT) sectors for the financial year 2006-07 which is double against Rs 55 million of the last financial year.
Similarly the STIT department ensured 100 percent utilisation of the allocated amount meant for the IT projects in the last fiscal year. This was disclosed to the Provincial Minister for Information Technology Hussain Ahmad Kanju by Secretary STIT Umar Afridi and Director IT Sarwar Gondal in a presentation at Peshawar on Tuesday.
Appreciating the good performance of his department, the minister IT directed the authorities concerned to maintain the same tradition in future also. The minister was told that the department proposed the establishment of science museum, food items testing and evaluation lab and wind mills for generating low cost electricity in the science and technology sector.
Similarly, computerisation of the Information department, Public Service Commission, Prisons, Land Revenue and Registration Deeds were also in the proposed IT projects.
He was informed, besides automation of the office of the Chief Secretary NWFP and STIT department, establishment of IT labs in two government schools in every district one each for male and female, appointment of virtual teachers to teach science subjects through CDs in the remote areas and replication of Online Hospital Management to Khyber Teaching Hospital and Hayat Medical Complex after Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) Peshawar.
He was further informed that computerisation of the police stations in Swat and LRH Peshawar was completed and in the implementation stage while more than 200 personnel had been trained.
Kanju on this occasion directed the authorities concerned to accelerate the process of appointments in the department by strictly following the merit policy of the government to accommodate maximum jobless IT professionals.
He said that the IT department reviewed the process of Patwar system in Punjab province and a delegation in his leadership would soon visit India to view its computerised Patwar system for implementation adding that the people of the province would soon get rid of the corrupt system in the province.