ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication has sought Rs16.5 billion in the upcoming budget for projects and services to promote digitisation across the country as well as in Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

The requested sum includes developmental and non-developmental expenses of the ministry and its affiliated institutions, but the size of non-developmental expenditure has been estimated at Rs10.5bn for 2023-24.

The ministry has sought Rs6bn for the ongoing and new projects under the Public Sector Development Programme, not only for the IT Wing but also for its allied departments, including the National Information Technology Board (NITB), Special Communication Organisation (SCO) and the Software Export Board.

The key ongoing projects include various programmes of the Punjab Information Technology Board, digitisation of the Presidency, Senate, National Assembly, General Data Protection Regulation Compliance Management System, and the Smart Office initiative in federal government ministries and departments.

The new projects include the establishment of Crime Analytics and Smart Policing in

Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Muzaffarabad and Gilgit, four knowledge parks in different cities and the plan to establish software technology parks

in various districts, and the expansion of freelancing training programmes across the country.

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2023