CS hails teamwork for eBIZ portal, orders awareness drive to expand citizen access 

By Our Staff Reporter Dr Ansab Ali

LAHORE: A high-level video-link meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Punjab Zahid Akhtar Zaman was held at the Civil Secretariat here on Monday to review progress on the eBIZ Portal, ongoing urban beautification initiatives, and price control measures across the province.
 
The session was attended by all administrative secretaries, divisional commissioners, deputy commissioners, and directors general of relevant departments.
 
During the meeting, the Chief Secretary described the eBIZ Portal as “a milestone marking the beginning of a new era in efficient public service delivery.” He attributed the success of the initiative to effective teamwork across departments.
 
Citing a recent example, Mr. Zaman said a Pakistani citizen, who had come from London, was able to obtain an online No Objection Certificate (NOC) within 48 hours, highlighting the system’s efficiency, transparency, and accessibility. The citizen, he added, expressed appreciation for the Punjab government’s swift and citizen-friendly service.
 
To further expand public benefit, the Chief Secretary directed that a comprehensive awareness campaign be launched to encourage maximum use of the portal. “Creating ease and accessibility for citizens is a fundamental responsibility of civil servants,” he emphasized.
 
Reviewing ongoing urban beautification and development schemes, the Chief Secretary instructed all deputy commissioners to ensure timely completion of projects in line with approved timelines.
 
The Chief Secretary also ordered strict monitoring of prices for essential commodities, including flour, Roti, and sugar, and directed that immediate legal action be taken against those found charging above official rates. “No leniency will be shown to anyone exploiting the public,” he said.
 
Earlier, the Chairman of the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) briefed the meeting, stating that, in line with the Chief Minister’s vision for digital governance, the eBIZ Portal had been launched to enable citizens and businesses to obtain departmental NOCs online. So far, 2,878 applications have been received through the portal, of which 1,130 have been processed and approved. All verification and approval procedures are completed through an automated digital system, ensuring speed, transparency, and accountability, he mentioned.