Punjab Minister for Local Government, Zeeshan Rafique, inaugurated a digital payment system for the Municipal Corporation of Sargodha, signaling a major advancement in local governance for the province. This new digital platform will streamline the collection of municipal bills, taxes, and fees, leading to a significant boost in revenue. During the launch, Minister Rafique highlighted that the digitalization will improve financial management, reduce corruption, and enhance service delivery by eliminating the need for citizens to visit municipal offices. The primary goal of the online payment system is to make municipal services more accessible to the public.
Additionally, Sargodha has been included in the Asian Development Bank’s Dream 2 project, with an investment of Rs27 billion aimed at resolving the city’s long-standing issues with water supply, sewerage, and waste management. The minister also announced that waste management systems across all divisions, except two, will be outsourced this month.
Commissioner Muhammad Ajmal Bhatti added that a uniform sanitation system is being implemented in both urban and rural areas, ensuring door-to-door garbage collection and cleaner streets. Citizens will soon be able to pay their taxes and bills via mobile phones. The purpose of e-billing is to gather data from municipal service users and to suspend services for those who fail to meet their financial obligations.
Minister Rafique also inaugurated the office of the Sargodha Waste Management Company near Zafarullah Chowk, with the aim of establishing a sustainable and consistent sanitation system across the province. The event saw attendance from key officials, including Secretary of Local Government Shakil Ahmed Mian, provincial assembly members Safdar Sahi and Mian Ikramullah, Deputy Commissioner Captain (Retd) Aurangzeb Haider Khan, Chief Officer of the Municipal Corporation Tariq Parvia, Chief Officer of the District Council Asadullah Hariya, Chief Officer of the Waste Management Company Rana Shahid Imran, and representatives from the PITB and DG PMDFC.
