ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The federal government has allocated Rs 2427.947 million for 12 ongoing and 21 new schemes of Science and Technological Research Division under Public Sector Development Sector Programme (PSDP) for next fiscal year 2017-18.
According to the budgetary document, a total of Rs 1361,758 million has been earmarked for the ongoing schemes and Rs 1066.189 million for new schemes.
Among the ongoing schemes, a total of Rs 256.262 million has been allocated for Certification Incentive Programme for SMEs under PQI Initiative 2025 and Rs 100.972 million for construction of office building for MoST in Islamabad.
A total of Rs 28.917 million has been allocated for construction of the offices and labs of Pakistan Standard and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), Rs 25.167 million for demarcation of groundwater quality zones in indus plain and marginal areas for sustainable development and management of groundwater (Lower Indus Plain) PCRWR and Rs. 48.773 million for establishment of National Capacity Building Institute (NCBI) for water quality management at PCRWR.
Likewise, Rs 129.477 million had been allocated for establishment of PSTC for precision mechanics and instrument technology at Gwadar PCSIR (CPEC) related project, Rs. 12. 800 million for establishment of the facility for the indigenous development of Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA) Baloon Catheters NUST, Rs. 24.708 million for Halal Accreditation PNAC and Rs. 19.464 million allocated for integrated water resources management in highly depleted Pishin-Lora Basin of Balochistan PCRWR.
A total for Rs. 12.351 million had been allocated for provision of furniture, fixture and office equipment for MoST building, Rs 62.114 million for purchase of Lab Equipment/Provision of furniture and fixture for PSQCA Labs and Rs 640.753 million for Science Talent Farming Scheme (STFS) for young students-phase-I (component-I).
Among the new schemes, Rs. 20 million has been allocated for awareness and training of Pakistan National Hospital and Health Care Accreditation (PNHHA), Rs. 10 million for capacity building for tapping marine living resource potential of Pakistan through biological oceanography, Rs 500 million for competitive research program, Rs 29 million for construction of PSQCA offices & labs (Karachi) and Rs 100 million for establishment of advanced technology training center at Knowledge Park (Muridke).
A total of Rs 50 million has been allocated for establishment of Medical Devices Development Center (MDDC) at NUST, Rs. 35 million for establishment of Textile Testing and Research Centre (Faisalabad), Rs. 15.014 million for exploration of groundwater potential and promotion of intervention for rainwater harvesting and bio-saline agriculture in Thar (PCRWR), Rs 37 million for external development of PSQCA building (Karachi) and Rs 25 million had been allocated for feasibility study for completion of the remaining six blocks and strengthening of research and display activities of the PMHN PC-II.
Likewise, Rs 9.841 million has been allocated for financial support to scientific societies in Pakistan phase-II, Rs 20 million for first industrial national innovation survey (PCST), Rs. 15.007 million for improved land and water conservation practices to enhance waste land productivity in Thar desert (PCRWR) and Rs 17.067 million for integrated approach for control of water logging and salinity in low lying areas of Sindh.
A total of Rs. 25 million has been allocated for modernization of PASTIC National Science Reference Library for Effective Resource Sharing among S&T libraries in Pakistan, Rs 50 million for sea level rise, sea water intrusion and land subsidence in indus deltaic creek system with special reference to Sindh coastal cities flooding NIO (CPEC) related project and Rs 14.260 million for need assessment of S&T Human Resource for Deriving Innovation and Achieving Vision 2025 PCST.
Likewise, Rs. 57 million has been allocated for strengthening of security measures at NUST Central Campus, Rs. 15 million for trans-boundary effects on ground and surface waters along the eastern border of Pakistan (PCRWR), Rs 20 million for up-gradation of fruit procession, analytical laboratory and establishment of gems & minerals cutting and polishing centre at PCSIR Skardu and Rs two million has been allocated for up-gradation of PCSIR Peshawar as herbal medicine centre, PCSIR Labs complex.
Source: APP