ISLAMABAD, Apr 18 (APP): Minister of state for IT & Telecom Ms Anusha Rehman Tuesday said establishment of new technology Incubation centres in all four provinces would help youth to become successful entrepreneurs and earn reasonable livelihood.
While Chairing Board of directors Meeting of National ICT R&D fund,
Minister said “our main policy is focused to provide quality digital and skill development training to youth of the country and Ministery of Information and technology (MoIT) is committed to provide them all appropriate fora and tools through which they can get quality training to suceed in the growing global freelancing market.”
CEO, ICT R&d fund apprised the board that the company had recieved very encouraging feedback from the industry for the advertised incubation center projects and this represented volume of their level of interest and trust in ICT related endeavors.
He informed that more than thirty consortia comprising of more than hundred companies had submitted their bidding proposals for 4 new Incubation centres which were being reviewed on technical basis and successful bidders would be announced by first week of May 2017 after financial evaluation of the short listed proposals.
The board agreed by keeping the momentum and industry’s intrest, RFPs will be floated for IOT, Robotics and fin-tech specialty innovation centres by the second week of May.
The Minister further said that these Incubation centres would play a pivotal role in development of ICT skills ,required for employment in the sector.
The Board discussed the proposal for the “Digital Skill training program and directed that Consultative sessions be held with industry academia and other stakeholders around the country and re-submit the comprehensive proposal before the board after getting input of all stakeholders”
The board also reviewed the status and pace of on going different projects of ICT R&D Fund Company.
The board also approved the rebranding proposal to have the new brand which refelect the focus of the mainstream ICT R&D and innovation support activity going forward.
Anusha Rehman said that the government gave highest priority to ICTs development to materialize Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif’s vision of “Accelerated Digitization”.
She directed to gear up efforts for establishment of all 7 incubation centres within stipulated time frame.
Federal secretary IT Mr.Rizwan Bashir khan, Member Telecom Mudasar
Hussain, Member HR, CEO ICT R&D Co.Mr Yousaf Hassan and other board members were also present in the meeting.
