The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications (MOIT&T), through Universal Service Fund (USF), have initiated “Smart Village” project in four provinces, Islamabad and Gilgit-Baltistan. The aim of this initiative is to remote areas’ access to a range of digital services in the domain of health, education, commerce, and livelihood.
In the beginning, only one Smart Village will be set up each in Islamabad, Punjab, Balochistan, Sindh, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and Gilgit-Baltistan.
The project will be funded and technically supported by the International Telecommunication Union, a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for all matters related to information and communication technologies, and Huawei Technologies Pakistan.
It will also focus on cross-sector collaboration and multi-stakeholder engagement to enhance cost-effectiveness and sharing of resources and expertise in delivering the services to citizens.
Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication, Syed Amin Ul Haque, inaugurated the ceremony with Federal Secretary for IT and Telecommunication, Muhammad Sohail Rajput, CEO USF, Haaris Mahmood Chaudhary, Area Representative for Southeast Asia International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Dr. Ismail Shah, CEO Huawei, Mark Meng.
Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Syed Amin Ul Haque said while addressing the inauguration ceremony said that “Smart Village project is another step towards realizing Prime Minister’s vision of Digital Pakistan’’.
Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Syed Amin Ul Haque inaugurating the Smart Village Project by pressing button in #Islamabad on June 16, 2021.#SmartVillage #DigitalPakistan #MOITT #USF pic.twitter.com/6AdrMAQueZ
— Ministry of IT & Telecom (@MoitOfficial) June 16, 2021
He also revealed that the National Information Technology Board (NITB) has launched more than 30 mobile applications, government web portals, and websites related to public services.
However, the benefits of these applications can be reaped by the general public only when they have access to them. The effects of the steps taken under the Digital Pakistan Vision are now beginning to show. We have started the first E-cabinet, working on E-Parliament, E-Office, and Internet Voting, he added.
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The Federal Minister congratulated the teams of USF, ITU, and Huawei and guaranteed his support in the implementation of the project. He also said that the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication would continue to launch more challenging and productive programs in the upcoming years for the promotion of IT and Telecommunication related services.
The country introduced its first Digital Policy in 2018 and since then there has been no looking back. In line with his vision to allow greater connectivity, productivity, and security in the country, PM Khan inaugurated the ‘Digital Pakistan’ project in 2019. This project aims advance digital infrastructure, increase investment in digital skills, promote innovation, and tech. entrepreneurship.
Now that the digitization efforts have become a part of the national strategy, the country in the near future is going to reap economic, social and political benefits including an increase in GDP, more job creation and efficiency in services which would result in cost reductions.