In a significant move towards digital governance, the Punjab government has declared that starting February 1, all citizen services on the provincial e-Biz Portal will be accessible exclusively through online channels. This initiative removes the requirement for people to visit government offices in person, marking a major leap in the push for paperless administration across the province.
A Digital Vision for Public Service
This decision is a cornerstone of Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif's overarching vision for a digitized government. The provincial administration is committed to dramatically widening the scope of online public service delivery. Officials have revealed an ambitious target to expand the portfolio of services on the e-Biz Portal to 310 distinct services by March 2024. This expansion will consolidate a vast array of citizen-centric services onto one unified digital platform.
Key Decisions from the Administrative Meeting
The formal announcement was made during a session of the Administrative Secretaries’ Committee. The meeting, held at the Civil Secretariat, was chaired by Chief Secretary Punjab Zahid Akhtar Zaman. The agenda included a comprehensive review of pivotal e-governance projects, such as the e-Biz Portal, the e-Filing and Office Automation System (e-FOAS), and wider administrative reforms.
Chief Secretary Zaman, while presiding over the discussions, highlighted that Punjab's information technology-driven reforms have become a benchmark model for enhancing transparency, efficiency, and service delivery. He issued directives to extend the successful e-FOAS system from departmental headquarters to field offices and attached institutions. This expansion is intended to accelerate decision-making processes and establish consistent digital workflows throughout Punjab.
"The digitization of administrative processes will spare citizens from making multiple trips to government offices and will cut down delays inherent in manual procedures," Zaman stated. He also praised the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) for its exemplary performance and effective coordination in driving these reforms.
Current Progress and Future Targets
During the briefing, the PITB Chairman informed the committee that currently, 210 services from 15 different government departments are live and operational on the e-Biz Portal. The platform's traction is evident from the 17,622 applications it has received to date. Out of these, more than 14,500 cases have been processed and approved through digital means, indicating a rising level of public confidence in online governance tools.
The meeting concluded with a formal instruction to the PITB to ensure the onboarding of 310 services by the March deadline. This milestone is viewed as critical for Punjab's journey towards providing end-to-end digital service delivery. The session saw participation from senior officials, including the Additional Chief Secretary, Chairman of the Planning and Development Board, Senior Member of the Board of Revenue, and all administrative secretaries. Divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners from South Punjab joined the proceedings via video link.
Officials emphasized that the complete transition of e-Biz services to an online-only model is expected to yield multiple benefits beyond citizen convenience. It is projected to strengthen accountability, minimize discretionary delays, and foster greater transparency in Punjab's public administration framework.
