Caretaker Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakar inaugurated 39 e-Rozgaar centers in Islamabad today. Speaking at the launch ceremony, IT Minister Dr. Umar Saif said the ambitious project of establishing 10,000 e-Rozgaar centers across Pakistan has been initiated.
The government has also approved Rs. 1.0 billion for the establishment of e-Rozgaar centers across the country through public/private partnerships facilitating interest-free loans to shortlisted/qualified individuals and companies.
Dr. Umar Saif emphasized the importance of IT in shaping this project during the initial phase. He announced the establishment of 250 centers in various small and large cities via public and private sectors, with the ultimate goal of reaching 10,000 centers nationwide.
To address the current challenges faced by over 1.5 million freelancers in the country, Dr. Umar Saif highlighted the lack of necessary facilities, including internet access, laptops, and suitable workspaces. He revealed plans to accommodate one million freelancers in these centers, each capable of hosting up to 100 individuals, potentially boosting annual IT exports by $10 billion.
Currently work on almost 40 e-Rozgaar centers is in progress and it is expected that all these e-Rozgaar shall be operationalized by 19th February 2024.
Dr. Saif commended the performance of the IT Ministry during the past 4 months of the caretaker government. He credited the Special Investment Facilitation Council for facilitating the timely approval of policies and projects, enabling IT companies to retain 50 percent of their earnings in foreign currency.
A significant breakthrough was announced in the digital payment gateway for freelancers. IT Minister revealed plans to create 10,000 accounts under a pilot project starting February 1, 2024, allowing freelancers to receive funds through PayPal. The success of this pilot project would lead to the expansion of third-party agreements for fund collection on a larger scale.
In addressing the technology infrastructure, Dr. Umar Saif ensured the availability of the 5G spectrum by eliminating obstacles, with a spectrum auction scheduled for August 2024. He also unveiled plans to lay an additional 200,000 kilometers of optical fiber cable across the country.
Implementing the right-of-way policy and resolving conflicts between institutions were highlighted as key achievements by the minister. The establishment of the Telecommunication Tribunal met a long-standing demand from the telecom sector, he said at the ceremony.
The minister recalled other notable initiatives including the launch of the Pakistan Startup Fund with an initial investment of Rs. 2 billion, the “Smartphones for All” initiative offering mobile phones in easy installments, and the creation of a research and development fund to support mobile phone manufacturing companies.
