Rs 510m IT schemes proposed

[LahoreEstate]

Sunday, June 07, 2009
LAHORE

The Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) has proposed 5 new schemes worth Rs 510 million under annual development program for fiscal year 2009-10.

It has also demanded Rs 790 million for 25 ongoing uplift schemes of the industry department in budget 2009-10.

The five proposed schemes focus on computerization of government institutions trying to centralize the communication and data maintenance of provincial administration. The allocation of Rs. 140 million for the ‘Enhancements in Punjab Data Warehouse’, Rs. 100 million for the ‘Integrated Communication Network Infrastructure for Punjab Government’ and Rs. 100 million for ‘Automation of Forest and Fisheries Department’ are indicative of the digitalization of data and communication to create an efficient and segregated access system, avoiding slumberous file work.

The new proposed schemes also includes a much-needed Rs. 50 million for ‘IT Awareness and drive for IT Promotion’ program which intends to conduct seminars and IT awareness lectures at the educational and business institutions across the province.

The ADP has also proposed capacity building of the Information Technology Department (ITD) which proposes an estimated cost of Rs. 120 million. The scheme intends to develop citizen centric e-services by accentuating the current resources of the department. Equipment and Human resource will be strengthened as the Punjab IT department intends to expand its course of action with the growing desire to e-bind the government institutions. The proposed fund due to be utilized during the fiscal year 2009-2010 for these five schemes is Rs. 160 million.

The Lahore Wide Area Network (WAN) scheme, started the previous year, is one of the major projects that the department intends to continue working on. The project is designed to make the government more productive and reduce communication cost by applying the IP phone technology and enabling video conferencing to facilitate meetings of different district admin officials. The Lahore WAN project also intends to strengthen disaster management control

The ongoing 25 schemes including Computerization of Zakat and Usher, Computerization of Irrigation and Power Department, Punjab IT Communication Infrastructure, Outstanding Talent Scholarships, Telemedicine for Teaching Hospitals in Punjab which chiefly focus on automation and of government and public service institutions are expected to speed their implementation up and utilize the chunk of the approved budget of Rs 1,300 million.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=181708