The Punjab government has directed all public offices across the province to transition completely to a digital filing platform by July 1, marking a major structural overhaul aimed at eliminating physical paperwork and reducing administrative spending. The expansion of the E-Filing and Office Automation System (e-FOAS), which is already operational in central provincial departments and attached bodies, means that all regional and district field offices will be legally prohibited from using manual paper correspondence starting next month.
Massive savings expected
Official estimates suggest that the phase-out of traditional files will prevent billions of rupees in annual administrative overhead. The directive was issued by the Punjab Chief Secretary during a Secretaries Conference at the Civil Secretariat in Lahore on Monday. The session was attended in person by the Additional Chief Secretary, Senior Member of the Board of Revenue, and provincial administrative secretaries, while divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners participated via video link.
Goals of digitization
According to the Chief Secretary, the digital system is being deployed to standardize transparency, decrease processing delays, and accelerate the resolution of public grievances. The Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) was credited with managing the technical transition away from manual record-keeping.
During the meeting, the Chief Secretary also acknowledged the performance of administrative officers, local government institutions, and field teams during Eid-ul-Adha, noting that solid waste management targets were met despite extreme summer temperatures.
