Government determined for financial, digital inclusion: Dar

ISLAMABAD: Finance minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday reiterated the government's resolve for providing broadband facilities to all uncovered areas by the next fiscal year in order to fulfil the government's vision of financial and digital inclusion.

Addressing a contract signing ceremony of broadband facility for sustainable development in Kohistan District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the minister said government was providing Rs12 billion subsidy during the current fiscal year, which would further add over 56,000 subscribers.

The contract was signed by the Universal Service Fund (USF) and Telenor Pakistan Limited, whereas the ceremony was also witnessed by the National Assembly deputy speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi, IT minister Anusha Rahman Khan and religious affairs minister Sardar Muhammad Yousuf.

Dar said the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) had approved Rs9.2 billion for the establishment of information technology park to tap the existing IT potential of the country.

Highlighting the economic gains of the government, he said the world had recognised Pakistan's economic development and forecasting that it would become the 32nd largest economy of the world by 2030.

The minister said the country would rank among the top 17 economies of the world by 2050, and called upon the opponents to come out of their petty politics and supplement the government efforts for the socioeconomic development and prosperity of the country.

Anusha Rahman said the current project was a step forward towards Prime
Minister's vision of digital Pakistan.

She said about one million people would avail 3G connectivity, which would also play a role in the development of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. 

She said the total cost of the project was Rs4.6 billion and government would provide 75.6 percent subsidy for the project, whereas the remaining amount would be paid by Telenor.

Anusha said so far about 4,226 uncovered mouzas were covered by USF, and other projects for the provision of broadband facilities were in progress in Balochistan.

The minister said that USF was committed to award contracts to connect all mouzas with a population of 100 people or more by the first quarter of fiscal year 2018.