ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Science and Technology Rana Tanveer Hussain has said that the government intends to increase budgetary allocation for scientific research and development from 0.29 per cent to 1pc of GDP so that new projects could be launched, because it will help alleviate social sector problems.

He said this while co-chairing the 8th International CSR Summit and Awards-2016, with Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervaiz Rashid. The summit was organised by the National Forum for Environment and Health (NFEH).

According to a press release, some 60 leading national and international companies, including Engro, Samsung, Adamjee, NBP, Bank Alfalah, Bayer, Parco, PSO and the Dawn Media Group, received awards for their commendable performance in 30 different categories of corporate social responsibility over the past one year.

Mr Rashid appreciated the distinguished companies and expressed the hope that they would continue their good work in the fields of education, health and environment.

Malik Amin Aslam, project head of Green Growth Initiative of the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said that through the initiative the provincial government had planted 113 million tree saplings under its billion trees plantation plan which would be completed by 2018.

He claimed that the ‘Billion Tree Tsunami’ programme could generate up to 800 million dollars in revenue by earning `carbon credits’.

Australian High Commissioner to Pakistan Margaret Adamson, Chairman of Privatisation Commission Mohammad Zubair, Minister of State for Education and Professional Training Balighur Rehman, Chairperson of Benazir Income Support Programme Marvi Memon and NFEH president Naeem Qureshi and Chairman Qaiser Waheed also spoke.

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2016