CHANDIGARH:  In a major milestone, the Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS) has been awarded with the CSI Nihilent E-Governance Award 2012-13. Mr. G Ramesh Kumar, IAS, Secretary Finance – cum – Director, Treasury & Accounts received the
award on behalf of the Government of Punjab at the 48th Annual Convention of Computer Society of India (CSI-2013), held in
Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. The award ceremony was preceded by a panel discussion on “e- Governance Project Sustainability” with members from Punjab, Gujarat, Goa, Kerala and Delhi and representation from across States and Industry.

Divulging the Details, Mr. Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Finance Minister said that Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS) is an ambitious project undertaken by the Government of Punjab to modernize the financial ecosystem of the state and monitor the finances of the state on real-time basis. IFMS spans across all the finance related processes beginning with the Plan & Budget preparation to release of funds (to the concerned departments), submission of online bills to treasuries, ECS (Electronic Clearing System) payments (direct credit) to the beneficiary’s (Employees, Departments and Vendors etc.) accounts operational since 1st April 2013 and the reconciliation of the funds at treasury level.

He said that In addition more than 80% of the tax receipts are online, 100% scrolls from the banks being received and reconciled by treasuries online with the provision for the rest 20% to be completed in coming few months. Amongst all changes that IFMS has brought ECS payments to the beneficiaries accounts stands aside as the most significant as not only has it benefited the state govt. employees & pensioners and others by expediting the process of funds transfer but it is also a big leap towards a paperless environment in the treasuries. Adding he said, winning the award is a major boost to the efforts of the Government of Punjab in ushering in an era of e-Governance and modern citizen services in the state. CSI (Computer Society of India) and Nihilent jointly instituted and managed the CSI - Nihilent e-Governance Awards for recognizing the contributions made in the field of e-Governance in the country. Instituted in 2002, the basic objective of these awards has been to recognize and appreciate the successful efforts by Indian States and Center Government, Departments and Districts in achieving good governance using Information and Communication Technologies.