LAHORE: The Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB)’s automated Motor Vehicle Registration System (MVRS) collected Rs 10.27 billion in two years. PITB Chairman Dr Umar Saif said this while addressing a meeting on Saturday. He directed the officials to ensure timely completion of Vehicles Automated Registration Card (ARC) for its launch in March 2018, being developed by PITB for Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Department. It will improve the tax collection process with transparency and efficiency to facilitate the people in all 36 districts across the Punjab. “The ARC will replace the old manual registration book, token tax collection and it will be easy to carry, transfer the vehicle from any district of the Punjab province, eliminating chances of forgery. It will contain secured data and security features regarding the ownership and the vehicle’s specifications,” the meeting was informed. While acknowledging the untiring efforts of PITB team, Dr Saif said that now most of the functioning of the Punjab government department had been digitalized through induction of technological interventions. “It has simplified the process, improved efficiency, curtailed malpractices, established transparency, stopped the fiscal pilferage, increased revenue and provided prompt services in real time to the common man,” he said. Published in Daily Times, January 21st 2018.