‘IT tools can help curb corruption’

LAHORE

Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) Chairman Dr Umar Saif has said that the skilful use of Information & Communication tools might help to curb corruption and ensure transparency in the government businesses.

He was addressing an exclusive session held at Arfa Software Technology Park on Wednesday attended by the probationers of 43rd common course of central superior services.

Dr Umar Saif delivered a detailed presentation on the flagship initiatives taken by the Board for improvement of good governance and transparency in Punjab. He said "PITB is working on almost 236 IT based projects aimed at revolutionising the entire working of public offices. Health, Education and Police are the most targeted departments with more than 20 projects designed only for health sector. We are eliminating paper work and shifting entire system to ICT interventions to bring e-Government in Punjab.

It facilitates the citizens more promptly, transparently and efficiently. The public service delivery is improving to make Punjab a real social welfare state. We are lucky enough to find full support from the Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif who dreams the Punjab to see leading Pakistan in every respect. This is the fact that our work is being recognised at the world level as European countries Albania and Romania have recently adopted our Citizen Feedback Model to eradicate corruption. We are helping the Centre and other provinces as well in IT based projects." Dr Saif also said the success stories of PITB about the smart monitoring of schools and hospitals, e-Vaccination, digitised books, dengue tracking system, disease surveillance programme, e-Khidmat centres, e-Stamping, centralised driving licence system, computerised FIR system and many others. He also answered the questions put by the participants. The interactive session was highly appreciated by the probationers.