September 16, 2006	Saturday	Sha'aban 22, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Sept 15: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has endorsed a proposal to reform the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) aimed at according it an autonomous status in its financial and administrative matters.

This was stated by PARC chairman Dr M. E. Tasneem in a meeting with scientists and officials of the council here.

He said Mr Aziz had also endorsed the proposed restructuring of the board of governors (BoG) by giving full powers to it for all administrative and financial matters; restoration of the full-time member natural resources and establishment of an inter- provincial research committee, where PARC would serve as the focal point.

He said the salient features of the reform agenda presented to the prime minister were discussed in a meeting which was also attended by agriculture ministry secretary Ismail Qureshi.

The reform seeks a new service structure for PARC scientists in line with that of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) and performance based time-scale promotion as well as empowering the BoG to promote scientists at all levels based on well defined criteria and introducing a tenure track system similar to the one followed by the Higher Education Commission (HEC).

Under the reform agenda, an endowment fund of Rs5 billion would be established to support research activities.

Dr Tasneem expressed his gratitude to the scientists and the senior management for their extended support in realising the much-needed institutional reform. After a lapse of 15 years, he said, three technical members had been appointed through merit. This would help bring dynamism to the PARC’s research activities.

The government has also provided Rs2.75 billion for the next five years exclusively for research and upgradation of facilities including training and replacement of obsolete equipment.

The government has adequately funded the council during the current fiscal year and its budget of Rs700 million has been approved, Mr Tusneem told the meeting.