Arooj Zulfiqar

Digitalisation of development projects in Pakistan is necessary to enhance transparency, accountability, and citizen engagement, said an IT expert. “In Pakistan, the digital revolution has brought profound changes to various sectors. Governments and development organisations need to take advantage of technology and digital platforms to streamline and enhance transparency,” said the expert from the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MOITT) who wished to remain anonymous. She said digitalisation efforts hold great potential for Pakistan’s progress. “By embracing digitalisation, development projects can significantly improve transparency.

As a result of technological transformation, we can collect, analyse, and share data in real-time, so we can monitor and evaluate better,” she explained. She said digitalisation aims to increase transparency, improve governance, allocate resources efficiently, and promote accountability among project stakeholders. “With availability of a digital platform, citizens will have a better understanding of development projects being undertaken throughout the country. It will promote public participation by enabling them to understand the objectives, scope, and impact of the projects,” she explained. The Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives recently launched the PSDP (Public Sector Development Programme) portal to ensure transparency.

The government has made the PSDP projects (ongoing and previous year) data available on the newly-launched PSDP portal. The portal will display the data for projects worth Rs1.1 trillion. Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal launched the PSDP portal during an event held at the Planning Ministry. Ahsan Iqbal termed this initiative a ‘landmark’ in the country’s history which will ensure transparency in the PSDP projects while engaging the citizens directly through this portal. “The initiative will help eliminate the trust deficit between the state and citizens,” he said.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk