ISLAMABAD, Jun 17 (APP): Federal Minister for Planning, Development, Reforms and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Friday said the government had launched a Rs 7 billion fund to support innovation in various sectors.
“Researchers and scientists are our national assets and innovation is the key to future economic success,” he said during a meeting with a delegation of Centre of Excellence Molecular Biology (CEMB), Punjab University, according to a press release.
The minister said the development budget for Higher Education Commission (HEC) had been increased by 68% in the new budget to promote the higher education sector, which was neglected by the previous government.
CEMB Director Dr Kausar Malik apprised the minister of the research and new BT cotton seed development by the center, which was virus resistant and high yielding variety, and could add Rs 173 billion value to Pakistan’s agriculture.
He said the CEMB had submitted a proposal for establishment of cGMP compliance pilot scale production facilities to promote commercialization of laboratory research.
“The project is aimed at improving the human skill base of the populations through training in cGMP compliance pilot scale production, investment in education; increasing higher education coverage; increasing investment in R&D; and building research and education networks with other universities,” he added.
The minister directed to submit PC-1 of the project, observing future battles would not be fought in battlefields, rather in classrooms and laboratories. “So whosoever will have better classrooms and productive laboratories will win in the future. This is the future frontier of the knowledge economy.”
