LAHORE: Taking a first step towards restructuring national institutions, the federal government is going to introduce office automation in its departments, starting most probably from the office of the prime minister.

According to officials involved with the restructuring, which is being spearheaded by Dr Ishrat Hussain, the finance division has recently asked the National Information Technology Board (NITB) to calculate the funds required for purchasing hardware and staff for the automation.

They said the NITB had created the automation plan for government offices many years ago but it could not have made bureaucracy to adopt it. A forward-looking federal secretary would ask for it, but the initiative would be dropped soon after his or her departure. Officials said the rules of business which governs the working of the government and relevant laws had also been amended to provide for the automation.

Keeping in view the importance of the information technology, the finance division had expressed its willingness to allocate funds required for the automation.

They said besides figuring out the required funds, the NITB was also planning to demand 200 information technology experts so as to help each federal government department install and run the automation network properly.

They said Dr Ishrat had recently agreed that the prime minister office should take the lead in the automation so as to make it clear to all the departments that it had become necessary now.

“Automation means efficient government,” an official said, clarifying that the NITB had already ensured proper security of the government data and record.

Published in Dawn, October 7th, 2018