CHANDIGARH, Jan 1: More than 1.85 lakh people in Punjab have accessed government services from their homes after the state brought 437 public services online as part of a broader push to digitise administration by 2025, the Bhagwant Mann government said on Wednesday.
Cabinet Minister Aman Arora said the shift had significantly reduced citizens’ dependence on government offices and intermediaries, marking a break from what he described as a long-standing culture of delays and “recommendations.”
“Today, government work is being done from people’s homes, not from offices,” Arora said. “Citizens no longer need to run from counter to counter to get basic services.”
The minister said the transformation was driven largely by the “Bhagwant Mann Sarkar Tuhade Dwar” initiative, which allows residents to apply for and receive a wide range of certificates, approvals and documents at their doorsteps. The scheme, he added, has been particularly helpful for senior citizens and residents of rural areas.
The Revenue Department has emerged as a key beneficiary of the digital push. According to official data, more than 12.46 lakh applications have been processed online by patwaris, making land and property-related services fully paperless.
Arora said QR-coded digital certificates have replaced traditional paperwork, improving security and authenticity while eliminating the need for citizens to rely on middlemen. “This is an area that was once associated with corruption and long delays. Technology has changed that reality,” he said.
The government has also introduced a real-time digital dashboard to track applications across departments. Officials said pendency across services has dropped to 0.33 percent, the lowest level recorded in the state so far.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has issued clear directions that public services must be delivered within prescribed timelines, Arora said. “This model shows that with political will and technology, governance can be transparent and efficient,” he added.
