The Universal Service Fund (USF) Policy Committee approved annual budget of Rs 11.376 billion for financial year 2020-21 for the Fund to carry out different connectivity projects in un-served and underserved areas of the country.
Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Syed Amin Ul Haque Syed Amin Haque chaired 39th meeting of the Universal Service Fund (USF) Policy Committee meeting here on Monday.
Federal Secretary Ministry of IT Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui was also present in the meeting.The meeting approved the minutes of the 38th meeting of the Universal Service Fund Policy Committee meeting.
The meeting also gave approval for the USF annual budget of Rs 11.376 billion for financial year 2020-21. Universal Service Fund Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Haaris Mahmood Chaudhry briefed the chair about the USF projects for providing broadband services in unserved and underserved areas of the country.
According to documents USF has spent around Rs 66.044 billion to extend cellular, broadband internet, fibre optics and other telecommunication services to un-served or underserved areas but some areas in Balochistan as well as South Waziristan and Kurram districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa still lack access to basic telephony and mobile broadband services.
USF was created in 2007 to stretch cellular, broadband internet, fibre optics and other telecommunication services to un-served or underserved areas. All telecom companies have been contributing 1.5 percent of their revenues to the USF.
Source: https://www.phoneworld.com.pk/the-universal-service-fund-approves-annual-budget-of-rs-11-376-bn/