LAHORE: The Punjab Irrigation Department and the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) on Tuesday introduced e-Abiana (water tax), a digital mechanism for the automation of water payments collection system and fines.

PITB Chairman Azfar Manzoor and Irrigation Secretary Saif Anjum signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU). Punjab Minister for IT and Higher Education Department Raja Yasir Hamayun, Irrigation Minister Mohsin Khan Leghari and PITB Director General Faisal Yousaf were also present.

Mr Hamayun said the e-Abiana project would digitalize water collection money received from farmers, which would be collected by the Irrigation Department e-Pay Punjab.

He said it would enable the department to ensure transparency and make collection of the revenue easier.

Mr Leghari said the Abiana (water tax) collection was almost Rs4 billion per annum in Punjab. He said the primary objective of e-Abiana was to develop a technology-based solution to generate transparency.

PITB Chairman Mr Manzoor said integration of e-Abiana through e-Pay would enable farmers to pay water taxes and fines through all the branches of banks across Pakistan and via all digital channels of e-Pay in future.

Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2020