Under the directions of Ministry for Information Technology and Telecommunication, the Universal Service Fund Company has distributed the 18,000 smart phones, which has the value of millions of rupees with the mobile balance along with the Benazir Income Support Program and they did not complete their research work.
The officials at Ministry of IT revealed while giving the briefing to the National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication. The officials of USF informed that the pilot project was initiated under which 18,000 smart phones would be provided to the BISP beneficiaries.
When the parliamentarians asked the question about the rational, logic and research work behind the project, the officials informed that the idea was to make the phones suitable for the beneficiaries for this scheme. They further added that BISP beneficiaries could use the handsets for their communication purposes and they admission no research w scarred out and the whole project is prepared on the basis of the proposals. The committee also raised the questions on the collection and utilization of about Rs.100 billion USF and role of Finance Ministry to utilize it as some parliamentarians stated that it is reflected in the foreign reserves.
Captain (R) Muhammad Safdar asked the question many time from the officials of the Ministry about the actual amount, which is collected in fund but the officials of the ministry remained silent. At this stage, MNA Syed Ali Raza Abidi said that it is about $2 billion and the chairman showed his doubts about the collection and utilization of USF. Safdar said when they came in power some four years ago, the USF money was about Rs.60 billion and now it reached to Rs.100 bullion. The chairman of the committee said that USF money can be converted into dollars to make lot of money. It can also be parked in the account, which government can borrow huge loan as the company does not have the capacity to utilize this amount.
Shazia Marri said that the Finance Minister takes the decision to utilize the USF and the government has no role and it is not the money of the government that finance minister can take decision about utilization of the money of USF. The committee directed the ministry to give complete and comprehensive detail of USF collection and utilization in the next meeting.
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