Twenty MoST projects remain incomplete

Only five projects have been completed so far due to lack of funds

ISLAMABAD: Around 20 projects of the Ministry of Science and Technology are lying incomplete, for the last nine years, mainly because of the shortage and delay in the release of funds.

Talking to The Express Tribune, a senior official of the Ministry of Science and Technology said, since 2007 till to date only five projects have been completed. The official said that almost all of the projects have been  approved either by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), Central Development Working Party (CDWP) or by Departmental Development Working Party (DDWP) but the process of releasing funds is too slow.



“Ministry of Science and Technology is not on the priority list of the government due to which it is continuously facing shortage of funds which is ultimately impeding its projects,” he said. “The delay in the release of funds is also causing an increase in the costs of the projects,” he said. The official said that it is not possible to bring technological revolution in Pakistan by ignoring the Ministry of Science and Technology.

According to the documents available with The Express Tribune, out of the 20 projects some of the major ones include the construction of the office building for MoST and its organisations in Islamabad which has been twice approved by the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) and once by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council at an estimated cost of Rs1310 million. Up to June 2015, an amount of Rs1130 million had been utilized and a revised amount of Rs179 million was allocated in PSDP 2015-16.



Followed by up-gradation and modernisation of the building of PCSIR Laboratories Complex in Karachi which was approved by CDWP on April 30, 2007 at an estimated cost of Rs718 million out of which up to June 2015 an amount of Rs363 million had been utilized and a revised amount of Rs165 million was allocated in PSDP 2015-16.

Followed by Certification Incentive Programme for SMEs under PQI Initiative 2025 approved by CDWP on December 21, 2015 at an estimated cost of Rs745 million. Up-gradation of National Physical and Standards Laboratory (NPSL), Islamabad approved by CDWP on April 30, 2007 at an estimated cost of Rs467 million among others.



The projects that have been completed so far include; provision of safe drinking water approved by ECNEC  at an estimated cost of Rs1413 million, establishment of Cast Metals and Foundry Technology Centre, Daska which was approved by the CDWP at an estimated cost of Rs304 million, establishment of proficiency testing provider facility for analytical  laboratories,  NPSL/PCSIR approved by DDWP at an estimated cost of Rs54 million, participation of scientists and technologists in international conferences, seminars and workshops, PSF Islamabad approved by DDWP at an estimated cost of Rs36 million and upgradation and modernisation of herbal, minerals and food pilot plants of PCSIR laboratories complex Peshawar  approved by CDWP at an estimated cost of Rs156 million.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 16^th, 2016.