Punjab cabinet has recently approved the first-ever IT policy 2018 for the province. It brings tax breaks, technology parks and financial inclusion for local and foreign investors.
The policy document consolidates all initiatives taken in the sector and sets a roadmap, making Punjab the hub of information technology.
Government has sought comments on the policy from all the stakeholders in the next two months. The province leads other federating units in presenting the IT policy after the introduction of digital policy recently by the federal government.
The provincial IT policy focuses on five pillars:
- Support to the industry
- Bridging the digital divide
- E-governance
- Citizen-centric services
- Entrepreneurship
Umar Saif, Chairman PITB told media that the new IT policy will encourage investments in IT, IT-enabled services and essential healthcare management industries, expand financial inclusion, increase incentives for ICT technologies, promote e-commerce, improve legal framework and develop human resource.
He said the IT policy 2018 will improve export receipts and envisage establishment of new IT parks. The provincial government has extensively used technology in improving efficiency and governance across several sectors.
