Gov't aims high in digital drive

Finance ministry technocrats writing in the draft Budget Strategy Paper released this week, said already 140 government services had been taken online, including import and export permits, tourism permits, licences and permits applications, tertiary student financing, eHealth and others.

For the 2024–2025 budget, government is looking into digitising services that promote Government to Government (G2G) and Government to Employee (G2E) interactions, the technocrats said.

A major related project in the coming financial year involves the establishment of a “cutting-edge” national payment switch, which will foster seamless, real-time, and cost-effective digital connectivity across a spectrum of financial services.

The initiative, the officials said, the initiative aims to catalyse the adoption of digital payments, reducing reliance on cash transactions and stimulating a modernised economic system.

Government will assess and adapt to emerging trends, ensuring that digital currencies and novel financial service providers are harnessed for the collective benefit, officials said.