By Staff Reporter
PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Science Technology and Information Technology, Food, Atif Khan has said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is spending hefty budget of Rs 1.5 billion to uplift science technology and boast the economy of the province.
The provincial minister, while addressing the inaugural ceremony of KP Science Agenda Program, here on Tuesday, stated that government is investing huge funds for promotion of science and technology.
“The program would empower scientists, researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs to seek research grants, resources, fellowships, travel grants to conferences, and other financial aid to develop their technology solutions and prototypes for greater benefit of the province,” said the minister.
The minister elaborated that KP government wants scientists to focus on three areas including advanced materials, biomedicine and space sciences along with uplifting of the eight key natural resources that the province is endowed with.
The key natural resources include gemstones, bees & honey, fruits & vegetables, fisheries, herbs & medicinal plants, micro-hydro power, archaeology, and urban environment.
Secretary ST&IT Khalid Khan on the occasion claimed that for the first time KP government has devised a comprehensive, end-to-end roadmap for science that touches every piece of our science enterprise which makes this Agenda unique.
The ceremony was organized by Directorate General of Science Technology. Over two-hundred leaders from universities, research institutions, startups, industry, the development sector and government officials attended launch of the program, meant to ‘renew the commitments towards uplifting in science literacy, excellence in scientific research and catalyzing innovation, all towards strengthening the national economy and uplifting the society’.
