No increase made in property tax: minister

LAHORE: Minister for Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Hafiz Mumtaz Ahmed has said that the cabinet has approved an agreement between the Excise Department and National Radio & Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC) to install Radio Frequency Identification Device (Vehicles Passport) in vehicles.

Addressing a press conference at Director General Excise Office here on Thursday, Hafiz Mumtaz Ahmed said that this is a revolutionary plan of PTI government. A ministerial committee is being formed to work out details regarding the agreement.

Traffic police, Department of Transport and other agencies will work together to prepare vehicle passports. Vehicles will be chipped which will automatically collect information, including tax, vehicle, driver data and criminal record of all departments, the minister said.

Chip will also be installed in parking plazas. The price of a chip would be Rs1,000. The cabinet has given huge relief in property tax. The reduction in property tax will provide relief of Rs3.4 billion to 15,000 units. The Punjab government has provided relief to the business community. An important step has been taken to provide it. The cabinet has declared null and void the decision taken to increase the property tax. No increase has been made in the property tax. Property tax payers will be adjusted in the next tax fee, the excise minister said and added that new property tax challans will be received soon. Hafiz Mumtaz Ahmed said amendment to Provincial Motor Vehicles Ordinance 1965 has been approved for registration of electric vehicles.

Excise department is using the latest technology. Citizens are benefiting from the facilities of Excise Department sitting home. There was a deadlock of 1.1 million for smart card which has now reached zero. One lakh number plates have been delivered to the consumers. Supply of number plates to the consumers at district level is being monitored, he said.

Deadlock of number plates will be abolished soon. Excise department is going to abolish open letter transfer policy. Biometric system will be launched from December this year. Punjab Chief Usman Buzdar will inaugurate this grand project. The auction of attractive number plates is being conducted online. The owner of a vehicle can also submit an application form online on the website of the Excise Department for number plates. E-auction is a masterpiece of modernisation of the Excise Department. The Department of Excise is going to introduce more advanced features in e-auction. It is also being facilitated to submit security fee online in e-auction. Excise offices will not have to come to submit security demand draft for e-auction. Excise department has got huge revenue in terms of auction. Excise department has got Rs330 million in e-auction. Smart card is a big gift of PTI government to people, the minister said.