Introduction

The government is giving highest level of patronization and ownership to IT. A Minister is looking after the emerging, high tech and dynamic Department. The Science & Technology and Information Technology Department has been created during October 2002 and the Directorate of Information Technology has been created about three years back i.e. during March 2004. In this short span of time the Department has taken multidimensional steps to promote IT, for the economic uplift of the province and improvement of the public service delivery processes. The vision is to harness the potential of Information Technology as a key contributor to sustainable economic development of the Province, focusing on the four core areas i.e. Coordination with Private Sector for attracting investment in IT, development of IT infrastructure, promotion of e-governance and market oriented quality Human resource development. Main functions of ST&IT Department and the Directorate of Information Technology NWFP, encompasses the foregoing vision, policy objectives and goals.This IT Conference has been organized to provide an opportunity to the potential investors, to have deeper insight of the policy initiatives, coupled with liberal incentives, the Government of NWFP, is offering for promotion of IT in the Province.

Vision:

Economic Development through IT.

Policy

The Government to act as enabler & coordinator.
To bring change through private sector.
Grant liberal incentives.
Maintain consistency in Policies.

Goals:

To attract private sector investment.
To develop and export software
To promote e-governance
To produce quality human resources
To develop IT infrastructure.

Objectives:

To support local entrepreneurship
To attract multinationals
To attract investment in software development, call centers and allied services
To focus on software development and exports.
To improve the IT infrastructure
To support e-governance in government departments
To improve coordination with Federal Government.
To improve the quality of IT education and training.
To create awareness about potentials of IT.
To improve public sector service delivery system.
To promotion ancillary IT industry IT
To support establishment of Call centers
To promote e-commerce through private sector.

Functions of Information Technology Department and Directorate of Information Technology NWFP

Formulation of IT Policies, Coordination with stakeholders & Management of IT related    activities.
Human Resource Development.
Promotion of R&D activities.
Development of IT infrastructure.
Planning Coordination, Promotion and Development of IT and evaluation of research    and development works
Utilize Information Technology for public benefit.
Introduce Information Technology in Educational Institutions.
Advise Government Departments on use of IT.
Prepare and monitor IT projects.
Promote usage of Information Technology by awarding scholarships, awards,    certificates, holding of seminars & workshops.
Promote IT education in all educational institutions.
Establish and oversee Districts Information Technology Departments.
Coordination with public & private sector for promotion of IT.
Promotion of IT education and training.
Interfacing with National and International IT markets and Industry.
Providing Business Support to Local IT Companies, in software export.
Development of strategies for E-Commerce.
Overseeing establishment of IT Parks & incubators.
Coordination with all relevant agencies.
Computerization in Government departments.

Support for Private Sector Development

Collaboration with Sarhad Chamber of Commerce & Industries and SMEDA, PSEB,    PASHA, MNCs, NWFP based Software Houses and Hardware Associations.
Promotion of E-commerce-development of free websites for gems, marble, wood,    carpets and other indigenous input based sectors.
Placement of Interns under NIP with Gemstones dealers, Jewelers, Furniture    manufacturers, Marble Industry, Women Entrepreneurship Organization, Carpets    dealers for development of e-commerce enabled interface for them.

Promotion of IT Services

Establishment of Call Center for Bank of Khyber.

Active liaison with Pakistan Software Export Board, PASHA, SMEDA, BoK and the service    providers.

Infrastructure Development

Establishment of Software Technology Park- Active liaison with the Ministry of    Information Technology and Pakistan Software Export Board for funding the first ever    Software Technology Park in the Province.

Establishment of IT Incubators in the Industrial Estates of the Province by offering free    land and other incentives to potential investors.

Collaboration with Multinationals

High level contacts with Multinationals like IBM, Microsoft, Intel, Siemens, Oracle, HP,    Cisco etc.
MoUs being developed with MNCs, for long term understanding and investment in the    Province-specially opening their field offices to restore/build the confidence of potential    investors. The MNCs will establish IT Centers of Excellence for advanced skill    development for International market.
MoU has been signed with Intel Pakistan for providing FREE Training to about 3000    school teachers, in all the 24 districts working in the pilot schools where Performance    Based Budgeting has been introduced.
MoU signed with GTZ for providing capacity building support in education and Health    sectors.

Public sector investment opportunities

Projects available for BOT

Province wide computerization of Land Record management system, revenue collection    and immovable sale registration deeds.
Province wide replication of the computerization of urban immovable Property tax,    professional Tax and motor vehicle registration and taxation system.
Province wide computerization of driving licensing system.
Province wide replication of the computerization of Crimes control system.
Province wide replication of computerization of Hospitals management system.
Province wide IT education in schools and colleges-establishment of labs and staff.

Other Policy initiatives

IT Reforms Task Force has been constituted for preparation of a strategic Plan of Action    for promotion of IT in the Province.
Provincial IT Policy is being formulated.
IT Departments are being establishment at the Districts’ level as envisioned in the LGO    2001.
Net Café’s Bill is being promulgated to control misuse of Intern services.
Merit and performance based policy is being introduced for promotion of IT experts so    that to bring competitiveness in the field.
Service structure is being formulated for IT experts, which will be based on merit and    performance.

Sharing Resources with MoIT

Active coordination is being made with Ministry of Information Technology for sharing   the application software developed for Projects launched by PSEB/EGD in the Federal   Government, to be replicated in NWFP.
Sharing software developed by MoIT through EDG to save on resources and kick start    automation of governmental processes, like web enabled system for Public Service    Commission, Hospitals Management system, Police Record Management System,       Paperless Offices etc.

Coordination with IT Market Stakeholders

Liaison with local Hardware vendors and Hardware Dealers Association.
Liaison with local Software Houses and their Association.
Liaison with local IT Experts and academia.

Promotion of Local IT Market-Policy measures

To promote local IT market, it has been made mandatory for IT service providers, to    have local setup in NWFP, to qualify for the award of public sector contracts.
To decentralize the computerization process, the role of Directorate of IT has been    reduced, allowing departmental experts to tender expert advice in procurements and    appointments.

Awareness creation

This IT Conference is part of awareness creation about IT and its potentials.
An International IT Conference-cum-Exhibition and Software competition will follow this    Conference.
The computer aided tutorial/Virtual Teacher system is being launched throughout the    Province by involving all headmasters and science teachers and district education    managers.

Quality Human Resource Development

Coordination with Universities and educational and training institutions.
Consultative Workshops held with universities in the Province.
A Consultative Forum is being constituted for effective interaction and coordination    between the IT educational institutions.
Planning to register the IT graduates at the pattern of medical & engineering (PMDC    and PEC).
Planning to support R&D activities in educational Institutions.
Planning to register the software projects developed in the educational institutions and    coordinate their implementation.

Development of IT-Infrastructure (incentives under consideration)

Establish broadband communication Network.
Subsidize DSL connections
Promote mobile, wireless & GPRS based networks.
Provide subsidized land for establishment of IT Centers of Excellence.
Establish IT incubators at district level.
Provide free land and associate private sector for BOT/BOO.

e-governance-IT Projects Computerization by DoIT

Official web portal for the Provincial Government www.nwfp.gov.pk. Presenting detail information about the functions and policies of the Provincial Government, official news and handouts, tenders and advertisements about jobs, official email services for all key governments employees and complaint/chat board.

Driving Licensing and Ticketing System (RFid based computerized driving licenses being issued at Traffic HQ Peshawar. The system is being replicated throughout the Province. Electronic payment of fee and fines and mobile (PDAs) are being introduced.

Property Tax System (automatic assessment of property tax, printing of challans launched in Peshawar and shortly being replicated throughout the Province, controlling tax evasion and facilitating public.

Online Litigation Management and case tracking system-Services Tribunal, implemented live since September 2007 and facilitating departments, councils and petitioners.

Computerization of Land Record and Revenue System. The system is being introduced in 114 settlements (Mozas) in district Peshawar and D.I. Khan and will greatly facilitate public, bringing transparency in record keeping, easy access to information and control over revenue evasion.

Online Hospital Management System-Lady Reading Hospital, facilitating the hospital, planning, management and research as well as public in getting access to their treatment record.

Crimes Control Management System-Swat Police. The system has been implemented, facilitating effective planning, management, resource deployment, crimes control and easy access to information to all management tiers at divisional Province level.

Computer aided tutorials for matric level science subjects. The animated tutorial is helpful in creating awareness about use of IT, facilitating teaching and learning.

Prisoners record management in all the Prisons in the Province is under implementation.

Policy support & proposed incentives

Allocation of land for establishment of Software Technology Parks (STP) to be    constructed with the support of PSEB.
Provide free land for establishment of IT hardware/software assembly ventures.
Provide free electricity, rent, interns support and access to foreign BPOs, to local    software houses working for software export.
Provide grant for establishment of software houses, call centers and data entry centers.
Develop business interests with MNCs to establish offices and centers of excellence in    the Province.
Provide means for access of private sector to International software outsourcing market    to;
Content development business, subsidized by GoNWFP.
Medical transcription business subsidized by GoNWFP
Call Centers business subsidized by GoNWFP
Promote software development for local & international markets-subsidized by GoNWFP.
Make IT-Literacy compulsory for induction and promotions in government jobs.
Grant incentives to government employees for acquiring IT education and training.
Make IT as special service group/cadre with merit and performance based induction and    promotions.
Give incentives to IT professionals commensurate with private sector.
Establish pilot paperless offices in every department/district.
Promote BOT business and create environment of investment for potential investors.
Increase liaison with educational/training institutions.
Review and update market oriented curricula, on yearly basis.
Introduce accreditation standards to improve quality of output of the educational    institutions.
Support post graduate-market oriented advance technical skill centers, through private    sector.
Conduct regular software competitions at district and Provincial levels.
Organize NITC type exhibitions regularly.
Create an enabling environment for private sector.
Give liberal support to software development & export business.
Give support for venture financing and facility of working capital.
Create mass scale awareness about potential of IT through seminars, workshops,    software competitions, print and electronic media.
Support establishment of Call centers, content development & medical transcriptions    business.

Automated Public Sector Processes

• NWFP budget and financial system under NAM.
• Budget system for the 24 district governments.
• Motor vehicle registration & taxation.
• Property tax.
• Land Record System in Peshawar and D.I.Khan.
• Driving Licensing
• Crime Control System (Police).
• Litigation & case tracking (Services Tribunal).
• GIS for mineral exploration and excavation.
• HR-database of Provincial Government employees and pensioners.
• Web portal of the provincial government.
• 24 district web sites.
• EMIS/Schools information system,
• Examination system Boards.
• Payrolls and Accounts System of DAOs.
• Provincial ADP.
• HMIS and website of Health Department.
• Assembly Proceedings.
• Governor’s & Chief Minister’s Directives system.
• Entry system to Medical and Engineering colleges.
• Statistical database of Bureau of statistics.
• Stolen vehicles tracking system in Police Department.
• Hospital Management System in Teaching Hospitals.
• DSR system in Home Department.
• Examination System (Public Service Commission).
• Virtual Teacher (interactive CDs based science subjects).
• Zakat distribution system.
• Performance Reporting system for Performance Based Budgeting.
• Establishment of IT Park
• Paperless office in major departments.
• Establishment of Computer labs in educational institutions.