CM’s ‘Suthra Punjab’ initiative: MoUs signed on digitising waste management companies

LAHORE:Waste Management Companies across Punjab and an NGO on Wednesday signed Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) here.

Punjab Minister for Local Government Zeeshan Rafiq was the chief guest on this occasion. Local Government Department Special Secretary Asia Gul and Zindigi CEO were also present during the ceremony.

Atif Ishaque, Chief Business Officer Zindigi signed the MoU on behalf of his organisation. The collaboration between Local Government & Community Development (LG&CD) department marks a giant leap towards advancing the digitisation of local government services under the ‘Suthra Punjab’ initiative, spearheaded by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.

Zindigi, the digital banking initiative of a private bank, is playing a key role in modernising Punjab’s waste management sector through its innovative solutions for digital fee collection and payment enablement for businesses and households. This transformative project unites eight waste management companies from across the province, driving a major digitisation effort to achieve certain objectives set by the chief minister.

The CM’s ‘Suthra Punjab’ initiative aims to ensure uniform cleanliness at all levels and enhance the quality of life throughout Punjab.

Addressing the ceremony, Minister for LG & CD Zeeshan Rafiq commended ‘Zindigi’ for its commitment to support the initiative. ‘Under the visionary leadership of the CM, the Punjab government is dedicated to make ‘Suthra Punjab’ initiative a resounding success’, he figured out. He observed that this public-private partnership would not only help waste management companies to achieve their digitisation goals but also improve efficiency and transparency in the field of fee payments and complaints registration.

‘With the launch of the digital fee collection solution, citizens will be able to make digital payments seamlessly, and waste management companies’ employees will benefit from Zindigi’s payroll and other digitisation solutions’, he noted.

The minister reminded that CM Maryam Nawaz promised provision of maximum jobs to the youth of Punjab after taking oath. ‘Under Suthra Punjab programme approximately one lakh new jobs will be created. Is this a small success within first six months?”, said the minister.

He added that PMLN president Nawaz Sharif and CM Punjab both wanted to provide all possible facilities to the masses. He said that digitisation is the need of the hour. ‘Cash payments gradually lost value across the world, we have to move forward by making Punjab a digitization-friendly province’, he said. Speaking on this occasion, Noman Azhar, Chief Officer of Zindigi, highlighted the digitisation initiative.