PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Friday launched an integrated IT portal for public sector entities to ensure strict financial discipline, transparency in the utilisation of funds and improve public service delivery.

The portal, developed with technical support from the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office-funded Sub-National Governance Programme, is designed to revolutionise the financial oversight and governance of 181 public sector entities in the province, according to a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Secretariat.

It added that the centralised platform, featuring real-time financial and operational key performance indicators, interactive dashboards and automated reporting mechanisms, empowered the Corporate Governance Unit of the finance department to monitor, manage and ensure the fiscal discipline of PSEs effectively.

Currently, the provincial government has 183 entities, including autonomous and semi-autonomous bodies, universities, teaching hospitals, municipal services delivery units, and other public sector organisations.

CM calls for use of technology to address governance issues

The integrated IT portal has been designed to enhance financial oversight and operational efficiency across all these entities, making KP, the first province in Pakistan to introduce such a system, according to the statement.

It added that after the launch of the portal, its use was mandatory for all public sector entities of the provincial government and that the system featured financial performance indicators, interactive dashboards, and an automated reporting mechanism, enabling better decision-making, monitoring, and financial governance.

During the event, the first-ever Service Delivery Performance Monitoring Report was also presented.

The report, developed with the assistance of the SNG, was initially piloted in three departments but was extended to all government departments and subordinate entities.

The statement read that the monitoring framework served as a key policy document aimed at promoting transparency and accountability in public sector operations and that it reflected a comprehensive assessment of all provincial departments’ budget execution and service delivery performance.

On the occasion, Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur directed all institutions to ensure full compliance with the portal’s implementation by July 1, 2025, warning of action against non-compliance.

“We should have adopted such modern reforms much earlier,” he said, stressing the importance of leveraging technology to tackle contemporary governance challenges.

The chief minister said his administration initiated work on the digital transformation soon after taking office, achieving significant progress in just one year.

He said the ultimate goal of these reforms was to enhance service delivery and strengthen the province’s financial independence.

The chief minister cited fiscal improvements, including the presentation of a Rs169 billion surplus budget, the establishment of a debt management fund with an initial Rs30 billion (aiming to increase it to Rs150 billion), restoration of the Sehat Card health insurance program, and doubling the funding for various welfare initiatives and education scholarships.

“This money was always there, but it was being misallocated. Through improved financial management and monitoring, we have redirected these funds for the benefit of the province and its people,” he said.

The chief minister’s adviser on finance, Muzammil Aslam, finance secretary Amir Sultan Tareen, and representatives of international partner organisations also spoke on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, March 15th, 2025