Team Details:
| YASIR ZADA KHAN Research Associate Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE), Islamabad (PI) |
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| SANA YASIR BSc. Hon, Student FAST National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences, Lahore Campus (Co PI) |
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| HUMAIRA BATOOL BSc. Hon, Student FAST National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences, Lahore Campus (RA) |
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| AYESHA AHMED BSc. Hon, Student FAST National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences, Lahore Campus (RA) |
Theme/Relevant Ministry:
PUBLIC SECTOR MANAGEMENT:
Punjab Food Authority, Board of Investment
Project Brief:
Quality food plays a pivotal role in Pakistan’s entertainment landscape, leading to a significant focus on establishing high-quality restaurant businesses. However, potential investors face a major hurdle in the form of regulatory challenges associated with opening such establishments. We propose to develop an automated and digitized procedure for opening restaurants, which will save costs, time, and effort for potential investors and streamline the process. Our solution will leverage technologies such as blockchain, with the MERN stack facilitating its implementation. The underlying principle of this project is to promote market functioning based on established rules, rather than being overly influenced by regulations, which often leads to the creation of unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles known as sludge. Additionally, the project includes a situational analysis of restaurant businesses in Lahore to assess and evaluate the regulatory challenges associated with setting up such establishments.
Public Policy Relevance:
Digitizing the restaurant industry, including providing online information access, enabling digital payments, offering real-time status checks, and automating various processes across regulatory departments, can bring significant advantages to restaurants. These improvements can also attract the interest of international chains, especially given the current economic landscape in Pakistan. Therefore, these changes are not only inevitable but also of paramount importance. We have recognized this need and taken the initiative to address it.