Present (Covid-19) pandemic is the ideal time for implementing e-governance structures with a worst-case scenario is likely to completely disturb the entire country as numerous departments, organizations and different businesses forced to move work-from-home scenario
This was expressed by Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry during an online talk on the ‘Role of Ministry of Science and Technology amid Covid-19’. The dialogue had been organized by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI).
Fawad Chaudhry said that his ministry is ready to offer every support to other critical government departments, including the ministry of information technology and telecommunication, for the enhanced provision of broadband internet services across Pakistan.
Responding to a inquiry about what was being done for medical practitioners in such a difficult time, the federal minister proposed that Prime Minister Imran Khan may soon announce the inclusion of doctors and paramedical staff in the government’s Shuhada package (martyrs package) in case they contract the virus and lose their life while treating Covid-19 patients.
He further said that his ministry is also assisting with the production of testing kits, ventilators, personal protective equipment (PPE) and sanitisers indigenously.
He called upon the private sector to step forward and alliance with the public sector during this critical time.
He added that the ministry’s doors are open for public policy think tanks, such as the SDPI, to come forward and improve the scope of research and development in policy responses.
Federal minister talked about the wheat harvesting season about to start in the country that they were working to providing technology to prepare reasonable sanitisers for mass consumption and to make agricultural operations and the construction industry safe from Covid-19 pandemic.