The Punjab Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar on Tuesday said the province of Punjab will be transformed as an IT hub and every possible effort will be made to develop the IT sector on modern lines. The CM chaired an important meeting which reviewed performance, progress made on different programs and future roadmap of Punjab Information Technology Board (PTIB).
Addressing the meeting, the chief minister said that promotion of information and communication technologies in different sectors will bring ease in the lives of the citizens. "The ICT will be dexterously utilised to develop the outdated system on modern lines; adoption of e-governance and e-service delivery is the need of the hour as both will facilitate the people," he said. Sardar Usman directed that every public complaint lodged through the Chief Minister's Complaint Centre (0800-02345) should be timely disposed of.
The meeting decided to construct another IT park adjacent to Arfa Software Technology Park and planned to lay the foundation stone by the end of this year. It was further decided to introduce a computerised application for the promotion of tourism. This application will contain all the necessary information and other details about tourist-spots in the province. Usman Buzdar maintained that as much as 31 services are being provided to the people at 10 Khidmat centres; and keeping in view their utility, it has been decided to establish new Khidmat Centres in 27 districts. He expressed satisfaction that the total number of services offered at Khidmat Centres has, now, reached to 43.
He announced that regional technical incubation centres will be established in nine divisions under Punjab Innovate Program. He maintained that e-payment gateway program will help the citizens to pay their taxes and other dues online. He announced that the latest IT system has been installed in nine divisions to maintain direct liaison with the people adding that this facility would help to solve their problems.
Along with it, a smart monitoring system has also been devised and planning, funding and implementation of development projects would be possible through this. Meanwhile, the record of employees of 42 Punjab government departments is being digitised as well.
The chief minister was briefed that 47 thousand complaints, out of a total of 50626 lodged through CM Complaint Centre, have been redressed. Provincial minister Yasir Humayun, Chairman P&D, Chairman PITB, secretaries of higher education and finance departments and others attended the meeting.
Moreover, the CM in his message on 'World Senior Citizens Day', said that elderly persons are our societal asset and the protection of their rights is a collective responsibility of the society.
He said that the PTI government has started a special programme for elderly citizens and the monthly allowance will be given to citizens of more than 65 years of age in the province. In this regard, 'Bahimat Buzurg' program is being started with an amount of Rs 3 billion, he said.