Broadband coverage to be expanded to 56,000 new subscribers: Dar

ISLAMABAD, June 3 (APP): Minister for Finance Senator Ishaq Dar Friday said the ongoing broadband projects in the Southern Telecom region were expected to provide coverage to over 56,000 new subscribers during the fiscal year 2016-17.
Presenting budget proposals in the National Assembly, the minister said
that 125 educational Broadband Centers (EBCs) and 55 Community Broadband Centers
(CBCs) would be established under the project with subsidy of Rs 482.5 million.
Under the Fiber Cable Programme, he said, Rs 63.4 million had
been allocated for executing projects in Balochistan as part of the China
Pakistan Economic Cooridor (CPEC) while Rs 1.9 billion have been allocated for
three new projects in all the four provinces.
He said one billion rupees would be spent on establishment of
computer labs under Pakistan Baitul Maal’s women empowerment centres, Prime
Minister’s Information and Communication Technology scholarship, Prime Minister’s
scholarship programme for talented students of Balochistan and Prime Minister’s
National ICT internship programme.