Chandigarh: Punjab Government has been honored with the prestigious “Digital Excellence” Award during the Technology Sabha 2026 for its pioneering initiatives in effective use of technology to ensure transparency, efficiency and seamless delivery of public services as part of citizen-centric reforms.
award ceremony
Mr. Vishesh Sarangal, Director, Department of Good Governance and Information Technology, Punjab, received the award on behalf of the state government during the Technology Sabha 2026 organized by Indian Express Group in Hyderabad. The event was attended by top technical experts and policy makers from across the country.
Statement of Minister Aman Arora
Dedicating this award to the citizens of the state and the departmental team, Good Governance and Information Technology Minister Mr. Aman Arora said that this honor is the result of the efforts of the Punjab government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to establish a transparent, paperless and accountable administrative structure.
Aman Arora said that this prestigious award underlines the dedication of the state government towards good governance and citizen-centric reforms. He attributed this achievement to the efforts to end the ‘middleman culture’ and to provide respectable and convenient services to the citizens at their doorstep.
He said that this digital transformation is not limited to technology alone, but it is a concrete step towards restoring public confidence in the system.
Key Digital Initiatives
Highlighting the innovative digital initiatives of the state government, he said that under the “Bhagwant Maan Sarkar Aapke Dwar” scheme, citizens can avail more than 430 government services sitting at home by calling the helpline number 1076. Now citizens do not need to visit government offices.
He said that Sarpanches, Numberdars and Municipal Councilors (MCs) of Punjab have been authorized to process the verification of online applications, which has significantly expedited the process of issuance of necessary certificates and linked the technology to the grassroots leadership.
Notable Achievements
After the successful onboarding of Patwaris and field staff, more than 12.5 lakh applications have been processed online by the state government. As a result of this digital integration, the pendency rate of cases has come down to only 0.33 percent, which shows the efficiency of the system.
Additionally, M-Seva and Connect Punjab provide an integrated mobile platform and robust grievance redressal system, allowing citizens to track their applications and submit feedback in real time. This is ensuring accountability at every level.
future plans
Highlighting the future roadmap, Mr. Vishesh Sarangal said, “We will not be limited to this achievement. The next phase of Punjab’s digital journey will integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) to further simplify service delivery.
Our aim is to establish a 100 percent paperless and contactless ecosystem for all key services including income, residence and caste certificates. This award will further strengthen our resolve to completely eliminate red tape and make every government service available to common citizens at a single click.”
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