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Govt plans Agri Research Fund

RECORDER REPORT

ISLAMABAD: Establishment of an agriculture research fund is under review of the government and effective steps have been taken for the timely release of funds and utilisation.

Pakistan Agriculture Research Council Chairman Dr. Kausar Abdulla Malik stated this while addressing NARC scientists, and congratulated the recently promoted to the higher scales.

These promotions had taken place after almost seven years he said and assured that the mechanism of promotions will be institutionalised as a regular feature on yearly basis.

In order to strengthen the research activity, he indicated that he was hopeful of having an endowment fund in order to create some regular source of fund availability. He also indicated the initiative has been taken for the utilisation of savings of Productivity Enhancement Programme through competitive projects.

Kauser indicated that he had visited Phillipines IRRI and was in touch with the University of California, Davis, to transform the existing research system into the most vital and productive working style.

He assured that the positions of Technical Members advertised would be filled soon so that the council could have its statutory bodies operating in the best possible way. He told the gathered scientists that no favouritism and recommendation culture would be part of his office.

The Chairman assured the scientists that he was working on increasing the hiring and possibly maximum number of employees will have the hiring facility. He desired that reporting officers should critically evaluate the work of employees working under them so that the honesty of purpose in evaluation of the scientists is maintained.

NARC Director General Dr. Ali Asghar Hashmi, at the end of the ceremony told Dr. Kausar that the scientists were committed to perform excellently in their profession. He asked the employees to join hands with PARC Chairman, in his positive thinking and constructive style of conducting day to day business of the Council.