Orientation on innovation opportunities held

PESHAWAR: The first round of the Innovation Challenge Fund (ICF) to support the provincial government in improving public finance management and expanding fiscal space was launched on Wednesday.

The Sub-National Governance Programme (SNG) launched the ICF at an orientation for prospective young entrepreneurs and information technology (IT) experts from the provincial capital at the Institute of Management Sciences (IM Sciences).

“Through our ICF component, we aim to solve the complex problems and remove bottlenecks in the government processes, and facilitate the general public in easy access to services,” said Saleem Khan, the SNG provincial team leader.

“The first round of the ICF will focus on public financial management and fiscal space, for which we have begun interaction with experts, entrepreneurs besides we will soon launch a media campaign to ensure wider and inclusive participation from all over the country,” he said.

The orientation session also addressed queries of young IT entrepreneurs and experts. Saeed Khan, the innovation advisor from the SNG Programme, briefed participants on the innovation and challenge fund and responded to key questions.

Under the ICF, funds are allocated to finance innovative and potentially scalable pilot approaches.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 12^th, 2020.