The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has taken a major step towards modernizing its agricultural revenue system with the official launch of the E-Abiana App. Chief Minister Sohail Afridi inaugurated the digital platform at a ceremony held at the Chief Minister House in Peshawar on Wednesday.
A Digital Leap for Irrigation and Revenue
This application, developed under the Digital Khyber Pakhtunkhwa initiative, marks a significant shift from manual to automated processes for collecting Abiana, the water usage charge for irrigation. Initially launched as a pilot project in the Mardan Irrigation Division, the system is designed for a province-wide rollout in phases.
The core function of the E-Abiana system is to digitize the entire tax collection chain. This move aims to establish secure, transparent, and easily accessible records for both the government and farmers. Officials briefed that land and water usage data have been integrated onto a single digital platform, which is expected to drastically improve record accuracy and enhance the operational efficiency of the Irrigation Department.
Addressing Long-Standing Challenges
The new system is projected to tackle persistent issues such as low recovery rates, payment delays, and administrative bottlenecks. By streamlining the process, it will also support the department in meeting its annual revenue targets more effectively. To strengthen oversight, digital dashboards will be introduced, facilitating timely administrative decisions and monitoring.
During the inauguration, Chief Minister Afridi commended the collaborative efforts of the Irrigation Department, the Department of Science, Technology and IT, and the KP IT Board. He described the app as a concrete step towards enhancing transparency in governance.
Broader Digitization Vision and Provincial Concerns
Afridi stated that, aligning with the vision of the PTI's founding chairman, the provincial government is rapidly advancing its digitization agenda. He revealed that 60 to 70 percent of provincial departmental operations have already been digitized, with a target to complete this transformation by June of the current fiscal year.
The Chief Minister emphasized that farmers are key stakeholders in the provincial economy and addressing their issues remains a top government priority. However, he also expressed serious concerns over delays in major development projects, citing a lack of federal cooperation.
He specifically mentioned the Chashma Right Bank Lift Canal project, stating that delays stem from federal negligence, despite the province having paid its share. Furthermore, he noted that 85 percent of work on the Gabral Hydropower Project is complete, but necessary no-objection certificates for foreign workers have been withheld by the federal government for eight months.
Afridi alleged that the federal government and Punjab administration are practicing discrimination against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including holding back billions in outstanding dues. He argued that even limited fiscal releases to KP are unfairly scrutinized in the media, a treatment not extended to other provinces. He concluded by warning that such discrimination against any one province is ultimately detrimental to the entire country.
