ISLAMABAD, Feb 7: The Ministry of Women Development, Social Welfare and Special Education will set up Information Technology Centres (ITCs) throughout the country for the training of women councillors.

This was said by the ministry secretary, Parveen Qadir Agha, while talking to this reporter. She said, initially, Rs5 million had been earmarked for establishing the computer centres at selected district headquarters, where women councillors would be imparted computer education.

She said setting up of the IT centres would be completed in the next three months, as federal government, in principle, had agreed to providing financial assistance without any delay.

Ms Agha said every province would have a ‘focal point’ responsible for the training programme. It will organize short training courses at regular intervals so that a maximum number of women councillors could avail themselves of the opportunity.

Women councillors, having matriculation as minimum education, will be invited for the computer training. After this preliminary IT training, the ministry will also look into the probabilities, if these trained women councillors can further be engaged in the government-run computer literacy programme as resource persons.

The training includes basics of the computer applications, including use of internet, and browsing with special focus on how to visit various sites and download files.

Answering a question, Ms Agha said: “At present, the use of computer is involved in every part of life, therefore, the ministry is of the view that women councillors should be given computer education to give them a better understanding of the government’s working.”

She said the ministry was also planning to set up more crisis centres for women in distress, as over the last few years, such women were picking up the courage to lodge complaints with such centres for redressal of their grievances.

It may be recalled here that, at present, only three crisis centres for women are being run by the women development ministry — one in the federal capital and two in Vehari District.

However, with 33 per cent women representation in the local governments and a significant number of women legislators in national and provincial assemblies, the government is planning to establish more crisis centres for women.

Ms Agha said the ministry was planning to start an adult literacy programme for illiterate women councillors. In this regard, the government has worked out a plan, and is also looking forward to engaging NGOs that are already working on such literacy programmes.