ECC Approves Technical Grant of Rs. 100 Million for NITB

The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet has approved a technical supplementary grant (TSG) of Rs. 100 million for centralized procurement of Information Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure required for the implementation of the e-Government program.

The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT) had moved a summary to the ECC while seeking a TSG of Rs. 100 million for procurement of ICT for the National Information Technology Board (NITB).

Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh presided over the ECC meeting on Wednesday.

According to documents, MoITT had sought financial support from the Finance Ministry. Finance Ministry considered the matter and replied that in view of the severe financial constraints being faced by the national exchequer, it will provide Rs. 100 million only through TSG for centralized procurement during the current financial year, by surrendering an equivalent amount out of the provision of contingencies (IB-0780) under demand No.041-subsidies and miscellaneous expenditure of the Finance Division.

In view of above MoITT was advised to move a summary for the approval of the ECC of the cabinet.

The federal cabinet approved to convert all the federal ministries and departments by June 2020 with centralized procurement which will cost Rs. 1.4 billion. However, after rupee’s depreciation, the cost increased to Rs. 1.8 billion, said a senior official of MoITT.

According to an official, it has been decided that all the ministries will surrender non-development funds to the ministry and a centralized procurement would be made. He said that Rs 11.7 million have been surrendered by eight ministries so far.

Around 29 ministries have been upgraded to different levels of e-offices while 13 haven’t been changed. The NITB was working on the integration of the data system which will provide a central platform for communication within all the public departments.