Senate body displeased by delays in NITB rules
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ISLAMABAD: A subcommittee of the Senate Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation expressed displeasure over delays in the finalisation of rules for the National Institute of Technology Board (NITB).
At a meeting on Thursday, the committee chairperson Senator Rubina Khalid said though IT was the future of the world, in Pakistan efforts were being made to curb its progress.
The NITB is mandated with a broad range of technical guidance and consultancy services to public-sector organisations for the identification of key areas and services for automation, including design, development and implementation.
It also provides technical assistance and subject matter experts to various ministries and divisions for their respective IT operations, infrastructure, general purpose and application specific trainings and e-government projects.
The committee members were surprised to learn that the NITB had sent rules on July 1, 2015, which were then examined by the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication to ensure all the codal formalities and legal requirements were fulfilled.
After a detailed examination, the case was forwarded to the Establishment Division on July 15, 2015, which has been posting queries since.
NITB Executive Director Nasir Naqvi said hiring and retaining human resource was a major challenge. He said hiring capable individuals would not be possible if remuneration packages were not up to the IT job market.
“Retaining people on rules that were formulated centuries ago isn’t feasible,” he said.
Senator Kulsoom Parveen said NITB needed to be made an autonomous body.
Senator Khalid said she would push the case through this forum as well as the standing committee on IT and telecommunication. She asserted that the development of IT in the government sector would put an end to delays in putting up files, which would be extremely beneficial.
While discussing the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap), Senator Khalid said the authority should review food supplements prescribed by trainers to gym-goers.
Senator Parveen also suggested Drap closely review medication and ensure the production of all substandard medication is stopped.
Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2018
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