Adviser to Sindh Minister for Information Technology Muhammad Noman Saigal has said that 18 IT projects worth around Rs 4.5 billion are being executed in the province. He disclosed this while speaking with the media personnel on an inauguration ceremony of new office of IT department in Sindh Secretariat here on Monday.
The new office was completed in two and half months at a cost of Rs 3.2 million as per the standard of international firms of IT. "These projects are not only producing more IT experts and manpower in the province but also increasing employment opportunities besides, introducing latest technology," he added.
He said that we had developed a long-term strategy for IT sector with a special emphasis on public welfare. He added that the department, particularly, was working on the project relating to education, health, technical education, security and human resources which would bring positive results."
He told that these projects include establishment of call centres, training program, web portal of Sindh government, e-government project, e-policing computerisation of Advocate General Sindh and its field offices, e-government Sukkur and automation of hospital across the province.
He was of view that these projects, equip with modern technology and development of service structure of IT field would attract investors towards IT sector of the province. A service group for the IT, just like other departments, is being developed in the province, he added.
Responding to a query on non-representation of Sindh in telecom sector, the adviser said that IT and Telecommunication were imperative for each other, however, he admitted that this non-representation causing impediments in uplift of IT at the provincial level. To overcome this problem, there is a dire need to give prior position to Telecommunication sector at the provincial level, he suggested.
He pledged to work on further improving the status of the province in the global IT sector, although he claimed that the province had already got a prominent position in this regard.