Post for ED NITB to be advertised again: Senate informed

ISLAMABAD, Nov 6 (APP): Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Anusha Rehman Friday informed the Senate that the post of Executive Director National Information Technology Board (NITB) in MP-I scale would be advertised in the national dailies again.
“Criteria for the post will be B.Sc plus experience,” he said during the question-hour session of Upper House of the Parliament.
Earlier, she said that three rounds of interviews were conducted for the appointment of ED but the ministry could not found suitable, adding that the leading candidate in the last selected panel had some degree issue, due to which the process could not be completed.
She said no appointment was made in the board during last 3 years, saying that the vacant posts would be filled following the selection of the ED so that he or she could select his/her own team to run the information technology sector in a most effective manner.
Anusha said as many as 18 posts in different scales including ED were lying vacant in NITB, for which the recruitment process was underway. Besides, nine different posts are lying vacant in the ministry, she added.
She clarified that the appointments in MP scales were made on the basis of open merit and the quota system does not apply there.
To another question, the minister said as per section 33B(2) of Telecommunication (Re-Organization) Act 1996 (Amended 2006) the Universal Service Fund (USF) was utilized exclusively for providing access to telecommunication services to people in the un-served, under-served, rural and remote areas.
Elaborating, she said Rural Telephony and e-Services (RTeS), Optical Fiber Cable, Broadband and special projects were being executed under the USF.
A subsidy of Rs 36.71 billion till September 2015 had been utilized for USF projects all over the country, adding that during last 3 years Rs 20.33 billion new projects had been undertaken in the Broadband and RTeS categories.
Replying to a supplementary question, Anusha brushed aside the impression that USF was used in paying circular debt to power generating companies.