Engineering Post Report
Federal Ministry of Science and Technology failed to fully utilize its allocated development funds under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP)
during financial year 2019-20.
Ministry was allocated Rs 7.407 billion for its 31 ongoing and new projects. Against this allocation, the Finance Ministry and the Planning Commission released Rs 1.864 billion and even this very small amount could not be utilized.
According to information available from official sources, the Ministry could only utilize Rs 0.253 billion up to May10, 2020.
Out of 31 listed projects, there were 8 projects in PSDOP 2019-20 which were recommended by Task Forces on Knowledge Economy and Science. Only three of these projects were approved, another three were still in the approval process at various stages while rest of the two projects were transferred to other Ministers/Division for implementation.
One of the approved projects is about Biomedical Technology Institute at COMSATS University Lahore. The project has just been started and it will be developing products for dentistry. Another approved project is for use of Artificial Intelligence in Health Sector at Karachi University.
Similarly, the third duly approved project focuses on nanotechnology research.
However, large chunk of the PSDP allocation of more than Rs 6 billion earmarked for Task Forces projects could not be fully utilized.
Furthermore, up-gradation of overall Research and Development Infrastructure of the laboratories and facilities of Ministry of Science and Technology Organization was another main objective during the last financial year. However, somehow limited progress was reported to has been made in this regard.
Needless to emphasize that Science and Technology potential is a fundamental for social and economic progress in developing countries. Quite obviously, it is imperative to integrate the existing technologies infrastructure for strengthening of technology institutions, effective governance of scientific and technological research and enhancing the capacity of indigenous innovation systems. The development in Science and Technology shapes the future of the nation and helps to make it compatible with nature. It can benefit to develop clean energy, enhance hi-tech products , manufacturing transport with less emissions and low-energy houses.
What the Ministry of Science and Technology on the whole did and achieved during financial year 2019-20 and what it plans to do and achieve during the just commenced financial year 2020-21 particularly in the face of pandemic of COVID-19 prevalence and combating it forcefully and effectively will be mentioned in some detail later on, please.
