LAHORE: Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman on Tuesday issued instructions to extend the scope of e-filing and office automation system (EFOAS) to the offices of divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners (DCs).

He gave these instructions while presiding over the secretaries’ conference at the Civil Secretariat.

The meeting reviewed the progress on the paperless working system in the departments, pending inquiries and pension cases.

The chief secretary said with the use of IT, reforms were being introduced to improve governance and service delivery. He mentioned that the offices of all the divisional commissioners and DCs would also be connected to the e-filing system. He said the EFOAS was already going on successfully in south Punjab. He directed the officials concerned to complete the training of officers regarding paperless system in all departments by June 15.

Mr Zaman also issued instructions for early disposal of pending departmental inquiries and pension cases. He said no inquiry should remain pending for more than six months and pensions should be issued to the retired government employees without delay.

PITB Chairman Faisal Yusuf briefed the meeting on the EFOAS and other IT reforms.

The meeting was informed that the pending inquiries and pension cases were being dealt with on a priority basis and promotion boards and departmental committees had promoted more than 4,100 employees to the next grades during the last one month.

The additional chief secretary, additional chief secretary (South Punjab), additional chief secretary (Home), Senior Member Board of Revenue, chairman Planning and Development and secretaries of departments attended the meeting while all the divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners participated through a video link.

Published in Dawn, May 24th, 2023