THE Punjab government has completely digitized all official paperwork across the Civil Secretariat and its various offices, marking the end of the traditional file system.
A spokesperson for the Chief Secretary’s Office, Syed Imtiaz, said the transition is comprehensive: All paper documentation is now being processed digitally. Moving forward, every file and document will be uploaded onto the new e-Filing and Office Automation System (e-FOAS).
This is, indeed, yet another achievement of a province that is considered a leader in e-solutions due to the active role played by the Punjab Information Technology Board under the leadership of successive PML(N) governments. It is important to note that the physical hard copy era is officially over; all traditional files have been collected from the Civil Secretariat and are being prepared for disposal. The elimination of paper-based processes will yield substantial savings, with over 80% of the government’s stationery budget set to be scrapped — a saving of millions of rupees annually. The e-FOAS will increase the speed of official work, replacing slow manual movement with instant digital transfers. The new system allows all files to be digitally tracked in real time, as comprehensive oversight ensures unprecedented accountability. A signature feature of the system is its built-in alert system envisaging generation of an alert directly to the Chief Secretary if a file is held up in an office unnecessarily. This will improve efficiency and ensure speedy disposal of proposals in the spirit of good governance. Hopefully, the paperless system will be expanded to cover the entire province, which will also require availability of reliable Internet connectivity in each and every corner of Punjab.
