The World Bank's Board of Executive Directors has approved $70 million in financing for the Connected Punjab Programme (CPP) to help the province expand broadband internet access, improve digital service delivery and enhance cashless transactions, it emerged on Wednesday.    The federal government of pakistan is investing in national digital public infrastructure through the Digital Economy Enhancement Project , while the Connected Punjab Programme builds on those foundations to ensure national platforms, policies and connectivity investments translate into benefits for citizens and businesses across the province.    The programme would also support investment in government computing infrastructure to strengthen institutional capacity and enable provincial and local agencies to develop and deliver AI-enabled public services at scale. By June 2031, it aims to provide enhanced digitally enabled public services to 28.9 million people, while increasing the share of women using digital government services from 19% to 30%.  the Connected Punjab Programme expands fibre connectivity through private sector facilitation, deploying locally relevant AI-enabled services and building a digital payments ecosystem that supports formalisation and inclusive growth across the province.     The $70 million financing from the World Bank's International Development Association forms part of a broader government investment programme valued at $278 million, including $208 million in counterpart funding from the Punjab government. (ICE ISLAMABAD)

Fonte notizia: express tribune