Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Senior Advisor Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa, Provincial Minister for Information Technology Farooq Yousaf Ghurki, Chief Secretary, Secretary Information Techn-ology, Secretary Information and President Microsoft for Middle East and Africa Ali Faramawy were also present on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister Muhammad Shahaz Sharif said that signing of the document is an important event in the history of the province as the three-year agreement between the Punjab government and Microsoft company would prove to be a milestone in the promotion of IT in the province. He also said the information technology is essential capacity-building of various departments.
"The government has adopted a comprehensive strategy for promoting IT and foundation of a revolution in education sector has been laid by setting up of IT labs in 4286 schools of the province." According to him, the use of IT would result in a positive change in health, education, law and order, agriculture, livestock and other sectors while information technology will also be used for evolving a system of accountability for eradication of corruption, which is the most serious problems being faced by the country.
IT will help in checking misappropriation of funds and implementation of development projects in a transparent manner. In addition to uplift of education sector, Microsoft Company will also extend co-operation in improving the efficiency of Tevta.
Microsoft will provide free software to 454 IT academies running under the control of Tevta. He said the agreement would usher in the era of e-government, while IT will help in provision of education, health and other facilities to the masses. He also said Microsoft company will also set up information centres that will strengthen IT sector.
"IT training centres will also be set up under this agreement and Microsoft will manage these centres for one year. Master trainers will be trained in these institutions and sent to far-flung areas of the province that will help in producing a large number of IT experts," he added. He said that the government would set up an IT Park in consultation with Microsoft to promote IT activities in the province.
He said under the agreement government will invest a total sum of Rs 3 billion in three years while Microsoft will invest Rs 1.5 billion and resultantly the government will earn a profit of Rs 500 million in three years. Microsoft Company for Middle East and Africa President Ali Faramawy said this agreement is unique in the history of Pakistan. He said the importance of information technology has grown manifold in the present era and this technology is playing an important role in the promotion of economic activities and generation of employment opportunities.
"This agreement will help in improving efficiency of education and other sectors in Punjab and this partnership will leave a far-reaching impact," he added. He paid tributes to the vision of Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif for the promotion of information technology in the province and said that the efforts being made by the Chief Minister will prove to be fruitful and a new era of development will usher in the province.
Earlier, a high level meeting was held under the chairmanship of Punjab Chief Minister for the promotion of information technology in the province. Senior Advisor Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa, Minister for Law Rana Sanaullah Khan, Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Secretary, Secretary Information Technology and Chairman Punjab Information Technology Board were present in the meeting.
The CM said IT gateway project and in the first phase, admissions to first year in Lahore College will be made under this programme so as to save the students from inconvenience. Similarly, he said IT technology will be utilised in Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC), availability of medicines in health sector, registration of FIR in police and other sectors. "Long term strategic partnership with Microsoft will promote IT industry and bring about a revolution in the province.
Despite wastage of huge national resources on software project of land record computerisation in the past no progress had been made but the measures being taken by present government for promotion of information technology will yield positive result," he added.