COVER STORY FINALLY, AN IT FRIENDLY GOVERNMENT

This week our Cover Story on Information Technology highlights the key issues in this industry. The major detriments restricting the growth of the local IT industry can be summed up as: The shortage of skilled IT expertise; the low government and public sector spending; low automation in the private sector; the transparency, or the lack of it, for awarding of government projects; and the absence of financing.

 

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GAS PRICES
The GoP has announced 15 per cent increase in gas tariff. It will help the GoP in collecting Rs 15 billion as gas development surcharge during the current financial year. The key reason for the increase is to improve the cashflow of gas marketing companies and to brighten the prospects for investment in gas distribution infrastructure.

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FURNACE OIL
The government's decision to deregulate import of fuel oil has evoked high hopes among the power consumers for a drastic cut in electricity charges, which are the highest in Pakistan.
With the permission of free import of furnace oil, the government is also in favour to replace the customs, excise duty ad development surcharge with a 15 per cent GST.

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COTTON
Dr. Samar Mubarakmand and his team of nuclear scientists have claimed to bring a cotton revolution within a couple of years in Pakistan. Some virus resistant varieties of cottonseeds they have developed will help taking cotton yield from average size of crop i.e. 8-10 million bales to 15 million bales within next two years. They would also lend a supporting hand in developing indigenous textile machinery within the country.

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