National Gross Roots ICT Research Initiative

National ICT & RD Fund has taken this great step of starting this program of “National Gross Roots ICT Research Initiative”. Funding is available For Final Year Students’ Projects through this program in 98 universities all over Pakistan through a simple process. Final date of applying for this fund is 31st March, 2012.

According to ICT & RD Fund official website page, this initiative aims to promote, enable, and encourage R&D culture at the grassroots level by funding relatively high caliber R&D projects initiated by students under the mentorship of faculty members in chartered universities of both Public and Private sector.

WHO CAN APPLY?

Through this initiative the Fund will provide financial support to selected Final Year Projects (FYP) of undergraduate students enrolled in ICT related disciplines like Computer Science & Information Technology, Electrical, Electronics, Telecom, Computer, and Software Engineering.

The financial assistance under the initiative will enable students undertaking Final Year Projects (FYP) in building prototypes and working models to showcase their creativity and innovation by applying hands on engineering and development skills. The funding under this initiative covers the cost of purchase of equipment and other miscellaneous costs associated with the development of the prototype or working model.

HOW TO APPLY FOR National Gross Roots ICT Research Initiative Fund by ICT & RD ?

Recommendations for currently ongoing Final Year Projects (FYP) should be submitted to the Fund through the respective Head of Departments on the prescribed Recommendation Form. All the recommendation received will be evaluated by a committee of experts constituted by the Fund. Final decision pertaining to the selection of any project for this initiative shall be taken by the National ICT R&D Fund.

Download the Recommendation form for National Gross Roots ICT Research Initiative HERE

Q&A

Q. No 1: Who is eligible for funding under the initiative?

Ans: The undergraduate students enrolled in chartered Public and Private sector Universities in an ICT related discipline and registered/undertaking their Final Year Projects are eligible to apply for funding under this initiative through their respective Head of Departments (HoDs).

Q. No 2: How much funding is available for a Final Year Project (FYP) under the initiative?

Ans: A maximum of up to Rs 75,000/- can be provided to a single Final Year Project (FYP) with certain restrictions. Details have already been provided to the University administration.

Q. No 3: What is the number of projects that could be submitted by a University?

Ans: Each University/Institution can submit a maximum of 10 projects per ICT related department/discipline.

Q. No 4: How many projects per University will be funded under this initiative?

Ans: The fund would like to accommodate maximum number of quality projects provided they are selected by committee of experts of National ICT R&D Fund. However, due to budget limitations all recommended projects will likely not to be funded.

Q. No 5: Can students who have graduated and have already completed their Final Year Projects (FYPs) apply for funding under this initiative?

Ans: No, such students are not eligible to apply under this initiative.

Q. No 6: What is the deadline for submission of Final Year Project (FYP) Recommendation Form?

Ans: The last date for submission of forms to National ICT R&D Fund is March 31, 2012. It should be noted that forms submitted directly by the students to National ICT R&D Fund will not be entertained.

Q. No 7: What is the procedure for submission of Final Year Project (FYP) Recommendation Form?

Ans: Only prescribed “Final Year Project (FYP) Recommendation Form” can be submitted through respective Head of Departments (HoDs) for this initiative.

Q. No 8: What are ICT related disciplines?

Ans: The ICT related disciplines include Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Telecom Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer System Engineering, Software Engineering, Information & Communication System Engineering, Computer Science & Information Technology.

Q. No 9: Are students of MS/M/Phil eligible to apply?

Ans: No. Only students enrolled in undergraduate ICT related degree programs are eligible to apply for funding under this initiative.

Q. No 10: The current initiative is for which semester?

Ans: The current initiative for which nominations are being invited is aimed to target those final year undergraduate students who have registered and are undertaking their Final Year Projects (FYPs) during the Spring 2012 semester.

Q. No 11: Will the program be again launched for those who would be undertaking their Final Year Projects (FYPs) in Fall 2012?

Ans: It is envisaged that the program will continue for students planning to enroll in Final Year Projects in Fall 2012 semester. However, detailed information regarding this will be made available at our website later on.

NOTE: National ICT R&D Fund (“Company”) reserves the right to amend or alter any of the terms and conditions with respect to the National Grassroots ICT Research Initiative (“Initiative”) . Final decisions pertaining to the Initiative rest with the Company.

Check your Vote Registration

Election Commission of Pakistan announced, eligible voters can now verify the status of their votes in the new computerized voter lists prepared by Election Commission of Pakistan with the help of NADRA by just sending an SMS to a specific number from any mobile network via their mobile phones. This SMS based Vote Verification Service has been up an running for all the cell phone operators, throughout the country.

Election Commission also said that this SMS based Voters Verification service is world’s largest verification service of its kind so far. 85 million registered voters can check their records through a single SMS by using this service.

ECP also said that it has purposefully not included the voters’ name and home address to avoid any privacy violations. 55,000 display centres, mandated to correct mistakes in computerised voter lists, has also start functioning all over Pakistan. New Voter lists will be available for making corrections at these display centres across the country till March 20th, 2012. In case of record errors or mistake one can contact its concerned ECP  Office or nearest display centre within given time.

How to Check your Vote Status?

• Go to Write Message on your Mobile Phone
• Write your CNIC (without dashes -)
• Send it to 8300
• Example: Send “3530241789240” to 8300

You will receive a reply with following information:

• Your CNIC Number
• Electoral Area, i.e. District, Tehsil and city/town/village
• Block Code
• Serial Number

Note: Reply message is likely to have words in Urdu (unicode). You may not be able to read the text message if your phone doesn’t support unicode.

SMS Charges for Vote Registration Information:

• SMS sent to 8300 will be charged @ Rs. 2/-   +Tax per sms

CNG Bus Service by LTC in Lahore

LTC (Lahore Transport Company) is starting New environment friendly CNG Bus Service for the citizens of Lahore from November 15th, 2011. This low cost CNG Bus service is going to start from Ferozpur road.

LTC’s CNG Bus Service will provide Free Transportation service for Older and handicapped people, specially trained traffic wardens will be on duty, Separate Cabin for Ladies in each bus and most of all it is an AC Bus Service with Non-AC fares.

Following roots will be starting service from 16th November and 1st of December 2011

16th November : B-9 / B-20 B / B-34 B

1st December : B-1

Similar CNG Bus Service will soon be available in Faisalabad, Multan, Bahawalpur, Rawalpindi and other cities.

 

Trade Portal for Women Entrepreneurs by USAID

USAID is going to start an online Directory/Portal for Women Entrepreneurs in Pakistan to promote their business in local and international Markets. This web based portal is being designed to become a powerful networking tool. It is hoped that this portal will not only encourage cross border trade but will also be demonstrative of an effective trade facilitation tool that may be replicated at a larger scale for a national level trade portal.

Who will use the Women in Trade Portal?

The users of this portal are categorized below :

• Women Entrepreneurs & Exporters.
• Importers and upstream businesses (both men and women owned) both with and without specific policies involving sourcing from women based businesses .
• Researchers, academia.
• Trade Facilitation Organizations and policy makers.
• Advertisers.
• Donor organizations

Who should Register?

Women entrepreneurs and exporters can register to promote their products and services online and explore local and international markets.

How To Register?

You can use any of the following ways to get yourself registered:

• Complete and submit the form at the following link: http://www.pakistantrade.org/witportal.aspx
• Request and submit the form at: msadaf@usaidpakistantrade.org
• Give your business information verbally at any of the following numbers: 0331 5553201 – 7

NOTE: Registration will remain open but for priority registrationplease submit your information before December 20th, 2011.

Express Family Festival 2011

Express Family Festival 2011 is starting  from 11th of February 2011 at Expo Center, Karachi. This will be a three days event starting at 12:00 pm on Friday 11 February and it will be end on 13 February.

This event is for families only, entry is free. So come and enjoy this mega family exhibition event with your family.

Express Family festival 2011 is organized by  Express Media Group.

Daewoo Started Bus Service from Okara Cantt

 

Daewoo Pakistan has added new rout to its countrywide bus services, from Okara Cantt to Lahore, Karachi, Hyderabad, Multan, Moro, Sukkur, Rahimyarkhan and Bahawalpur.

Service has been started from January 14th 2011. Cargo service also available.

Location of Daewoo Bus Stand is Mushrooms Restaurant, Main GT Road,  Okara Cantt, Okara.

wi-tribe Now in Faisalabad

Qtel’s (Qatar Telecom) Best Broadband Service Provider award winner service wi-tribe broadband wireless is now available in Faisalabad. After successful operations in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and Rawalpindi wi-tribe started its service in Manchester of Pakistan in  January 2011.

wi-tribe is offering various broadband packages as per home and corporate user needs by using wimax technology.

PTCL Data Center Lahore

CM Punjab inaugurated the 2nd PTCL Data Center in Lahore  on January 14th 2011. The first data center was set up in Karachi in the February 2010. Both PTCL Data Centers are certified by the internationally recognized certification body, EPI, This certification by an international body is the first data center certification in Pakistan’s history. PTCL Data Center will provide following services to its valuable customers.

Services:

1- Infrastructure Hosting (Caging, Co-Location)
2- Application Hosting (To Host Customer applications on Unified PTCL Infrastructure)
3- On Demand Services (DR Solution , Backup Solution, Storage on Demand, Processing on Demand, HA through PTCL infrastructure)
4- Hosted Business Solution (Email & Collaboration , Unified Communications, Video Conferencing, SaaS (Software as a Service), CRMs, ERP)

Features:

1- 99.999 % Uptime
2- Every component is TIA 942 compliant
3- Quarterly Technical Audits
4- Round the clock support
5- Gigabit Ethernet on demand basis
6- 3+ Tier Storage Architecture and Many More.

Free Education for Deserving Students at Danish school

 

Govt of Punjab has taken another step towards the betterment of needy, poor, deserving and talented students in province by starting this great educational project “Danish School System” under the Food Support Programme, children of registered families would be provided all facilities free of cost.

1st school has been inaugurated by CM Punjab at Rahim Yar Khan.

The education upto FSc classes would be imparted in these schools and under this system every school would be english medium adding religious courses would also be started in these schools. The students would be educated in two shifts in Danish schools and they would also have free boarding and lodging facilities.

Danish Schools will give admission to the children from low income (Less then Rs.6000/- per month) families.

31st National Games 2010

31st National Games started on 25 December, 2010. Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) Mr. Owais Ahmad Ghani inaugurated Mega Event in a colorful opening ceremony at Qayyum Stadium in Peshawar.

7 venues has been selected for largest ever national games events this year including Peshawar, Mardan, Khanpur Lake, Abbotabad, Islamabad.

15 teams from all over Pakistan are participating in this mega event organized by department of sports including

1- Sindh
2- Baluchistan
3- Pak Navy
4- Pak Army
5- Islamabad
6- Gilgit Baltistan
7- Pak Airforce
8- Railways
9- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
10- AJK
11- Police
12- H.E.C.
13- Punjab
14- FATA
15- Wapda

7 days event will be end on December 31st, 2010 in a grand closing ceremony. For event details and game updates please visit the official website www.nationalgames.com.pk