Accord inked with Google for 45,000 scholarships this year: Fed IT Minister.

KARACHI -- Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Syed Aminul Haq has said that an agreement has been inked with Google for 45,000 scholarships, which will increase up to 450,000 next year.

At least 40 percent of the scholarships of Google will be for women.

He said this while addressing the Startups for Industries and IT Exports conference at the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI), here on Friday.

The Minister said that the Google company had earlier given only 15,000 scholarships last year, but these were increased after consultation.

The Federal IT Minister said that a building has been constructed in NED University at a cost of $ 1.6 million for gaming and animation, for further promotion and growth of this industry.

Dignitaries including KATI Vice Patron Zubair Chhaya, Senator Abdul Haseeb Khan, Senior Vice President Nighat Awan, Chairperson of Standing Committee Maheen Salman, Former President Saleem-Uz-zaman, Masood Naqi, Razzaq Hashim Paracha, Ehtishamuddin, experts from universities, National Incubation Centers, students, teachers and start-ups participated in large numbers in the event.

Federal Minister Aminul Haque further said that the IT Ministry is working on the vision of 2050. The investment in Pakistan till 2020 was $ 75 million which increased to $ 373 million by 2021. Similarly, after the efforts of the Ministry, the regulatory duty on mobile has been abolished from March 30, he said.

The Federal IT Minister said that when he took over the ministry, he immediately formulated a mobile phone manufacturing policy to set up mobile phones manufacturing industry in the country, thus, the production of mobile phones was started within a few months.

Syed Aminul Haque further said that when he took over IT Ministry, there were five incubation centers working in major cities of the country, which have now been increased to eight in three years. He said that our...