ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Science and Technology has demanded more than Rs6.4 billion in the new budget for 12 new projects, a significant increase from the Rs921.3 million the ministry has spent on its ongoing projects.

The projects proposed by the ministry include the National Centres for Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Artificial Intelligence and Allied Technologies worth Rs2.5bn, and the Rs1.5bn Pak-China University of Engineering and Emerging Technologies.

The ministry has also proposed advanced skills development through international scholarships - which will cost Rs800 million – and the establishment of a Centre for Advanced Technologies in Biomedical Materials worth Rs631.2m, all under the ministry’s knowledge economy initiative.

Total demand in 2019-20 PSDP is more than Rs7.4 billion

With the dozen new projects proposed by the ministry and the ongoing 19 projects, the total demand in the 2019-20 Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) reaches over Rs7.4bn.

The new schemes also include upgrading storage facilities and establishments for development in nanotechnologies, and a centre for bio-medicinal materials as well as a testing facility in collaboration with South Korea.

The research and development (R&D) sector has been one of the most neglected by successive governments. Despite demands for significant increases in budgets for the last decade, funding for the promotion of R&D has been extremely low.

Both elected members and senior bureaucrats saw investment in R&D to be the lowest on the list of priorities of past governments.

“It was during the reign of Gen Pervez Musharraf that R&D got some attention. Past 2007-08, both the PPP and the PML-N governments focused on development schemes which were visible, such as the metro bus service to give an example,” a senior official in science and technology ministry told Dawn.

He said that Pakistan continues to lag behind in the world of scientific research and rank low in terms of spending on R&D.

The official said that the funds released for R&D decreased after 2007-8, and so did activities in scientific research.

“Although scientists have worked hard, the results of planned projects are not visible and a lack of support from the government to the ministry led to most experts switching to more rewarding jobs and better opportunities at home and abroad over the years,” he explained.

According to the official, development projects have suffered in all 16 departments under the ministry, including the Pakistan Council for Research in Water Resources (PCRWR), Pakistan Council for Renewable Energy Technologies (PCRET) and the Pakistan Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR).

However, Science and Technology Minister Fawad Chaudhry has said his government has ambitious plans to put the country on the path towards growth after investing and development scientific research.

He has declared August to be the month of science, to promote innovation and entrepreneurship.

The Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission Pakistan (Suparco) has also demanded another Rs1.3bn for two new projects, including Rs1.2bn for the Pakistan Multi-Mission Satellite.

Suparo is spending nearly Rs5bn on ongoing projects such as the Pakistan Remote Sensing Satellite and the establishment of the Pakistan Space Centre.

Published in Dawn, June 12th, 2019