Ahmed Khan Malik

The Balochistan government has started implementing various initiatives under Balochistan Digital Roadmap to transform the provincial economy.

These projects will help make public service delivery more transparent and convenient.

“The Information Technology Department of Balochistan in collaboration with experts has worked out a digital transformation plan,” Naveed Magsi, additional director IT, told WealthPK. He pointed out pilot projects executed in various sectors had proved fruitful. “For instance, the implementation of real-time system management in the health and education sectors has yielded significant results. In light of these encouraging results, there is a need to extend the scope of real-time system management to other departments,” he said.

Magsi said that a data bank would be established at the provincial level with the support of the private sector. He said that the provincial government would provide all possible support to IT companies for software development and the establishment of data centres. Magsi mentioned that with the establishment of a database, better planning related to public services would be possible, including budget formulation, and the creation of an education ecosystem could significantly improve the education system in the province. He noted that use of modern IT facilities could improve governance and facilitate service delivery. “Modern IT methods for performance evaluation can help improve the performance of the government machinery for the benefit of people.” It is to mention here that under broader policy of the central government to promote digital economy, the Balochistan government has also approved its first-ever digital policy.

The policy is aimed at providing e-governance and digital services to the public, including provision of cheap, standard and high-speed internet facility, according to a relevant official. The official said the digital policy was aimed at promoting information and communication technology by establishing software and information technology parks. He said the government would establish a state-of-the-art centralised data centre in the province. According to him, the government planned digital transformation across all sectors in a phased manner to bring efficiency, effectiveness and transparency in its processes for transitioning towards a knowledge-based economy. “The policy aims not only to support infrastructure and e-governance but also promote entrepreneurial spirit so that the fruits of the technology development could reach citizens,” the official said, adding that the government intended to improve the quality of life for its citizens through systematic digital transformation.

Credit: INP-WealthPk