The districts where security featured computerised number plates are being issued included: Multan, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Sialkot and Nankana Sahib.
The Punjab government has fixed price per pair of number plate for motorcycle/ scooter/motorcycle rickshaw as Rs 300/- Rs 350/- for auto rickshaw and Rs 900/- for motor car/jeep/ commercial vehicle.
The sources said that computerised number plates of vehicles would be issued to the applicants in Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Multan, Nankana Sahib and Sialkot districts on the same day of submission of application. This system would eliminate discretionary powers of officers of Excise and Taxation Department and provide relief to the citizens.
It may be mentioned that Punjab Chief Minister, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi while inaugurating the security featured computerised number plates under Motor Transport Management Information System (MTMIS) in Lahore, a few months ago, had directed the E&T authorities to replicate the system in the whole province.
The sources said that pursuant to directions of the Punjab Chief Minister, E&T authorities were replicating the MTMIS in six above mentioned districts of the province. After fulfilment of formalities, the system will be replicated in whole of the province. The MTMIS has been executed by the Information Technology Department. Faisal Yousaf is Project Director of MTMIS.
According to sources, MTMIS was a customised application envisioned and developed wholly by NetSol as an end-to-end solution of citizens' vehicles security and information management. The system was officially launched in Punjab with the pilot project in Lahore, which undertakes the automation of motor vehicle registration & taxation for 1.5 million vehicles and would extend to four million vehicles over the next two years. The system has provision for onsite access to the traffic police records via PDAs and smart cards, onsite verification of any vehicle's environmental-friendly status and roadside authorisation of driver licenses.
However, neither smart card nor RFID facility has been introduced due to some technical hurdles, the sources claimed. They further said information technology sector was getting a boom in Punjab and a number of projects was underway under public-private partnership throughout the province. "Effective steps by government in IT sector are creating new job opportunities for the youth while establishment of IT park would pave the way for a new era of computer technology", the sources said.
According to them, computer knowledge was being promoted especially in far-flung areas of the province and a district-wise strategy has also been evolved in this regard. Punjab Chief Minister, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has entered into an agreement with an UN organisation for provision of computers and its education, adding that Punjab, in years to come, would be leading in IT sector.