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The National Assembly has been summoned to meet on Monday, the 1st April, 2024 at 4:00 p.m. in the Parliament House, Islamabad
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10th meeting of the Standing Committee on Science and Technology was held today

Monday, 27th January, 2020

Islamabad the, 27th January, 2020:   10th meeting of the Standing Committee on Science and Technology was held on 27th January, 2020 at 2:00 p.m in Committee Room Pakistan Council Science and Technology Ministry of Science and Technology under the Chairmanship of Mr. Sajid Mehdi, MNA. The meeting of the committee commenced with the recitation of holy Quran.

The agenda items regarding pending legislative business referred to the Committee was deferred for tomorrow meeting due to not availability of Mover and representative from ministry of Law and Justice.

Pakistan Council Science and Technology was established as National Science Council in 1961 under the Ministry of Education and Scientific Research and later its charter was revised and renamed as Pakistan Council of Science and Technology (PCST) under the Ministry of Science and Technology in 1984. PCST was designated as Secretariat of National Commission of Science and Technology. PCST being permanent member of CDWP, is playing the leading role in the formation of National Science and Technology policy. It also assisted and advice the Govt. on collection and publication of National S&T indicator and numerical rating of the scientists of the country on the basis of their research.

The major objective and function of PCST, it takes the measures for effective collaboration among academia R&D (Research and Development) organization and industry for development of indigenous products and techno0logies. It promote the quality R&D culture in the country, evaluation of National Research and Development activities including output of individual and institutions for award of financial support thereof. PCST also engaged in promoting the collaboration among national and international organizations for promotion and capacity building in Science and Technology to enter in MOUs, contract etc. Participation in national science and technology planning and development activities and providing advice on selection of projects are also the mandate of PCST.

On the advice of PCST, separate ministry of Science and Technology, Higher education Commission, Pakistan Science Foundation, Science & Technology Cell, Intellectual Property Board, Council for Housing Research and Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources were established which may be counted as an historical achievement of PCST.

PCST conducted the studies in the different fields like Information Technology, Energy, Industry, Education, Health & Pharmaceutical, Agriculture Environment, Water, and Electronics. Biotechnology, Nanotechnology, Marine Resources, Public health & Sanitation, Automotive sector, Mineral and Robotic, by using the methodology suggested by the expert panels.

PCST has facing the lack of continuity of leadership in the Council and from the last 10 years, it has no regular Chairman. PCST has no infrastructure at provincial level which limits its capacity to perform some of its functions. It has also problems that the human and financial resources do not match with the assigned functions/mandate and expected achievements from this organization. The total technical sanctioned strength of PCST are 21 whereas 05 are filled (in Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100 professionals are engaged in STI policy research) No allocation of funds at all for implementation of the STI Policy. The amount for Research productivity award was 70 million in 2017 but reduced in 2019 as an amount of Rs 2 million. The meeting of National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST), under the chair of Prime Minister, being head, has not convened after December 2001.