PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Thursday launched its e-governance platform, KP Digital Workspace, saying the initiative will increase the efficiency of government employees and processes by introducing paperless offices.

The platform was inaugurated by caretaker Chief Minister Mohammad Azam Khan during a special ceremony at the Chief Minister’s House, where science and information technology minister Dr Najeebullah and other senior officials were present, according to an official statement.

Officials told the chief minister that initially, Digital Workspace was being introduced in the finance, higher education, science and information technology, and sports departments, and it would be extended to the rest after two months in phases.

They also said the initiative would enhance efficiency, ensure transparency and improve service delivery in government departments.

Digital Workspace to be introduced in four depts before being extended to the rest in phases

The officials said Digital Workspace was expected to bring about substantial cost savings on stationary and reduce environmental impact by cutting paper use.

The chief minister declared the initiative a testament to his government’s commitment to modernising the governance system and enhancing efficiency in public service delivery.

“This Digital Workspace is no doubt a milestone achievement in the implementation of the e-governance system in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa” he said.

He said that the government had prioritised the advancement of information technology and the IT industry.

“Governance reforms are meant to streamline and enhance the capacities of government departments. I hope that this initiative will result in heightened transparency and efficiency leading to increased productivity and a reduction in waste of resources,” he said.

Mr Khan said that Digital Workspace represented a significant stride towards digital governance in KP and stood as a pioneering effort in the public sector across the country.

“Under this project, a document workflow management system has been developed for government departments, promising substantial time and resource savings” he said.

The chief minister said that the provincial government, through the KP Information Technology Board, had also taken the lead in establishing special technology zones, exemplified by the Digital City in Haripur.

He added that the unique zone was poised to play a pivotal role in economic stability and creation of employment opportunities.

Mr Khan said that in alignment with market demands, the provincial government was diligently equipping the youth with IT and technical skills.

He said that special emphasis was being placed on the promotion of science, technology, and modern trends in the province.

“Initiatives such as digital arms licenses, e-stamp, citizen facilitation centres, and IT parks will serve as the backbone of KP’s economy, attracting foreign investments and paving the way for a knowledge-based economy and thus, contributing to poverty reduction, job creation and self-reliance,” he said.

The chief minister said that he hoped that with the continued efforts of relevant provincial departments and support of partner organisations, the journey of digital transformation in the province would thrive.

KP Information Technology Board managing director Dr Ali Mehmud told Dawn that the initiative was part of thepaperless government projectfunded by the World Bank.

“We’ve been working on this system for the last two and a half years, while the detailed review of manual processes of government departments has been undertaken in business process review,” he said.

Dr Mahmud said the board had identified 175 manual processes in government departments.

He said digital modules would be extended to all 34 departments of the government. He said that transparency and efficiency were major elements of these departments.

“Usually paper-based summary to the chief minister takes 100 to 120 days but this new system will reduce that time by 90pc,” he said.

The MD said the system would ensure accountability with features like digital signature that could not be altered.

He said with the new system in place, it wouldn’t be possible for anyone to make backdated documents.

“The government spends Rs570 million annually on the use of paper. This system, introduced for the first time in the country, will significantly reduce that cost,” he said.

Published in Dawn, November 10th, 2023