LAYYAH: The district administration has launched the first ever toll-free helpline in order to achieve highest levels of transparency, efficiency, accessibility and convenience for citizens.

The Labbaik Bhakkar Helpline is aimed at providing information to people about a range of social, civic and municipal services on a phone call and does not require them to visit government offices.

Bhakkar Deputy Commissioner Syed Bilal Haider inaugurated the first citizens’ facilitation call centre at a ceremony held in the local health department on Monday.

The ceremony was attended by Senator Muhammad Zafarullah Khan Dhandla, MPAs Ameer Muhammad Khan, Ghazanfar Abbas Cheena and Aamir Inayat Khan Shahani, Additional District Collector (ADC) Revenue Hafiz Ahmed Tariq, ADC General Karim Bakhsh, assistant commissioners, members of District Peace Committee, media personnel, heads of government departments, chairmen of local councils, notables from various walks of life and heads of educational institutions.

ADC Tariq introduced and highlighted the objectives and utility of the helpline. Deputy Commissioner Haider while speaking on the occasion said the project manned by customer representatives of Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) was being operated from the PITB headquarters in Lahore.

In the first phase, the helpline would provide information about education, health, local government, citizen services, revenue, employment services, addressing poverty and cash transfers from 9pm to 5pm. In the second phase, the scope and number of services would be increased.

In the next phase, the facility would be made operational 24 hours. The deputy commissioner maintained that the call centre was aimed at empowering citizens by providing them requisite information needed in daily life.

The elected representatives were of the view that this step would serve as a real source of advancement in Bhakkar. They also appreciated other initiatives of the district administration for social uplift.

At the end, the deputy commissioner and Senator Zafarullah distributed cash prizes as well as appreciation letters among the helpline team for their contribution to the launching of the project.

Published in Dawn, July 11th, 2017