PTI govt to award Rs12b scholarships in field of science

Chaudhry says 600% increase had been made in the Ministry of Science and Technology budget

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry has said that scholarships for Rs12 billion will be granted to the students in the field of science this year.

While addressing a three-day workshop titled “Challenges of Food Security, Nutrition and Health”, the minister said that efforts will be made to spend the scholarship amount on those sectors which help in reducing the import bill.

He noted that a 600% increase had been made in the Ministry of Science and Technology budget while a target of 1300% was set for the next year.

Chaudhry blamed the previous governments’ policies for lack of professionals at the departments falling under the Ministry of Science and Technology, saying that the requirement for hiring is 50-year experience and a meagre salary of Rs150,000. “We are changing this policy for the better.”

He maintained that scientific experts will be hired in place of retired bureaucrats in the departments that come under the Ministry of Science and Technology and scientific laboratories will be set up across the country.

He said that Pakistan and the United Kingdom were now jointly working in the field of research.

Speaking on the occasion, British Professor Nicola said that 1,000 research projects had been completed in different countries under the global development programme.

He noted that the United Kingdom had allocated 1.25 billion pounds for research projects under global development funds.