The federal government has reportedly replaced the old system of physical submission of paper-based bills and their pre-audit /invoices with electronic forms in the Accountant General Pakistan Revenues (AGPR) office through the online mode ‘Sahel’.

Sources said that Finance Division has informed the Economic Coordination Committee of the cabinet that the CGA office has successfully piloted the submission of bills to the Accountant General Pakistan Revenues (AGPR) office through online mode (named ‘Sahel’), replacing the old system of physical submission of paper-based bills and their pre-audit/invoices with the electronic form.

Sources said that the development has been completed through in-house RandD. To meet World Bank’s DLI (under PforR), the Ministry of Federal Education and the Ministry of National Health Regulations were chosen for piloting the system adding that sources said that both ministries have been submitting all bills of the current budget online since the beginning of this year.

They said that Currently, only eight (08) Federal Divisions are on the Sahel. The online billing system also seeks to integrate with the e-procurement system which is under development through World Bank funding, as well as electronic funds transfer to vendors for ‘ease of doing business In Pakistan’ under the Bol.

All development projects using Assignment Accounts as well as payments under the ADPs are covered in the system roll-out.

Sources said that ECC on the request of the Finance division also approved Rs. 263.988 million in favor of the Office of Controller General of Accounts (CGA) for the implementation of online billing solutions for Federal and Provincial Accountant Generals.

Source: Pro Pakistani