Universal Service Fund (USF) approved two projects of Next Generation Broadband for Sustainable Development (NG-BSD) with cost of over Rs. 360 million approximately.
Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui Federal Secretary Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication presided 66th Board of Directors (BoD) meeting of USF) at Universal Service Fund Office.
The Board of Directors in the meeting ratified the contract signing of the project ‘NG-BSD Rahimyar Khan Lot’ which includes Khanpur, Liaquat Pur, Rahim Yar Khan and Sadiqabad tehsils with an approximate cost of Rs198 million.
Project will benefits a total under-served population of approximately 1.2 million covering 741 under-served mouza and an approximate under-served area of 8,591 Sq. km.
The Board also approved the contract signing of the project ‘NG-BSD Bahawalnagar Lot’ which encompasses Bahawalnagar, Chishtian, Fort Abbas, Haroonabad & Minchianabad tehsils with an approximate cost of Rs 166 million.
The project benefits a total unserved population of approximately 0.9 million covering 505 under-served mouzas and an approximate under-served area of 6,127 Sq. km.
The Secretary IT, Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui laid emphasis upon the importance of utilizing technology to help the country achieve broader national aims such as improved health and education outcomes, and equal access to opportunities for citizens nationwide.
He further added that these projects will significantly authorize the people living in South Punjab who were deprived of all these services earlier.
Furthermore, Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui also appreciated USF’s vision to bridge the connectivity and socio-economic development gap between urban and rural communities.
The Board members also debated on key urgencies over the forthcoming year in line with the federal government, aiming on the ICT enabling environment, capacity building and infrastructure development.
Major General (R) Amir Azeem Bajwa, Shabahat Ali Shah Chairman PTA, Irfan Wahab Executive Director, NITB, CEO-Telenor Cluster Head for Emerging Asia and Nominee of Mobile Cellular Operators, Imran Akhtar Shah,VP for Government Sales, SuperNet Pvt Ltd and Nominee of Data Licensees; Rashid Khan, CEO PTCL and Nominee of Fixed Line Operators; Kaukab Iqbal, Chairman, Consumer Association of Pakistan and Nominee of Consumer Group and management of USF Co. joined the meeting.