LAHORE: The South Punjab Secretariat has launched a project of electronic filing and office automation system progress to make the secretariat completely paperless.

In this connection, a training workshop on e-Filing and Office Automation System (e-FAOS) was held in the committee room of the office of Additional Chief Secretary (South Punjab) by Punjab Information Technology Board section officers and staff members of the administrative departments participated in the workshop.

Under the project, 16 departments will go paperless. The service department had conducted two training workshops -- one each in Bahawalpur and Multan.Additional Secretary Coordination and S&GAD Farooq Dogar said the government had introduced e-governance in every department to improve service delivery and bring transparency.

He said the South Punjab Secretariat has made the e-filing system a success since its inception. He said that the e-filing system was first launched as a model project in the Agriculture Department and now it is being implemented in other departments as well.The Focal Person for e-Filing System for South Punjab, Deputy Secretary Services Nayyar Mustafa told Dawn that the whole world is moving towards digitization and it is necessary to equip the offices in Pakistan with electronic filing system.

He said all the departments of the South Punjab will completely adopt the e-filing system and they have completed all requirements by ensuring availability of scanners and providing powerful laptops.

He said that the e-governance department had provided computer learning personnel to all the departments, including two master trainers and one focal person.

Mr Nayyar said the trainers and focal person would work under e-governance and would be connected to each other.Mr.Abdul RauF, a focal person from PITB, gave a briefing about the e-filing system.

Later, Services Secretary Amjad Shoaib Khan Tareen visited the South Punjab Secretariat for monitoring the under-construction project to ensure its timely completion.The secretary services also directed the project director and consultant of IDAP to facilitate contractors on a fast track basis in terms of approvals and technical support.

The secretary services also directed to hold review meetings twice a week to monitor the pace of work on the project.

Published in Dawn, April 8th, 2023