The provincial government has decided to induct world-fame distinguished scientists in the senior technical portfolios of state of-the-art chemical analysis laboratories in the proposed Science Enclave Project under Punjab Food, Agriculture & Drug Authority (PAFDA). Advertisement in this regard has been floated in the international media in which portfolios including Director General PAFDA, Member Food, Member Agriculture and Member Pharma have been offered on market rate remuneration basis.
This was disclosed in a meeting presided over by Additional Chief Secretary Punjab Shamail Ahmad Khawaja at Civil Secretariat Lahore. The meeting reviewed pace of progress for materializing the Science Enclave Project envisaged by Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif under PAFDA at Thokar Niaz Baig Lahore. Director General Punjab Forensic Science Agency Dr. Muhammad Ashraf Tahir and Project Director PAFDA Sohail Ashraf presented briefings in this regard during the meeting.
The meeting was told that Provincial Development Working Party has recently approved the project in its 78th meeting. The PC-I of the project will be completed with a total cost of 6.3 billion rupees. The department of Implementation & Coordination Punjab has issued Administrative Approval of this project while Finance Department Punjab has allocated an initial amount of Rs. two billion for development of laboratories and other construction work. This development fund will be utilized during the fiscal year 2017-18. Non-development fund comprising 4.27 million rupees has also been released to PAFDA for the current fiscal year. The meeting also reviewed the performance of PAFDA Finance and Audit Committee while the pace of work to finalize PAFDA draft regulations were also reviewed in length during the meeting. Additional Chief Secretary Shamail Ahmad Khawaja directed the Project Director PAFDA to expedite all the phases of the Science Enclave Project and submit the management strategy to him within three days.
