‘Excise, taxation dept achieves over 100pc recovery target’

LAHORE : The Punjab Excise and Taxation Department had set a target of Rs 30.530 billion for the year 2020-21 which has been achieved more than 100pc despite corona pandemic and the recovery is 28pc higher than last year, said Rizwan Akram Sherwani, Additional Director General (DG), Excise, Taxation &Narcotics Control Punjab (ET&NC), while talking to The News.

He said the department is taking good steps for the welfare for people. “The excise department has waived the tax on widows and divorced women while significant relief was provided to people of Punjab during Corona,” said Rizwan Akram.

He said latest technology is being used in ET&NC department. Citizens are having facilities via technology while sitting home. The online property tax self-assessment portal created in partnership with Urban Unit is unique and very useful in many ways. Through the tax portal, citizens can now make accuracy or change in the records of their property while sitting home or in the office, he said.

Another major project of the Punjab Excise Department is the Universal Number Plates Initiative. Division of district and division level has ended from Universal Number plates. Now, the same serial number is being issued across Punjab, he said. He added that there was a deadlock of 1.1 million for smart cards which has now reached zero.

One lakh number plates have been delivered to the consumers. The launch of the smart card was a revolutionary plan of the government and the Punjab Excise Department, he added. The process of biometric transfer of vehicles is very easy and has been connected to 18,000 Nadra facility centres, he said. He added, “Excise Department abolished open letter transfer policy. The department has introduced a biometric system for sale and purchase of vehicles.”

Rizwan Akram said, “E-payment is a masterpiece scheme of the excise department through which citizens can pay token tax, property tax, professional tax, cotton tax at home.

He said attractive number plates are now being auctioned online. Citizens are getting their favorite numbers at home, said Rizwan Akram.

The Department of Excise is going to introduce more advanced features in e-auction. Excise offices will not have to come to submit a security demand draft for e-auction. Excise department has got revenue of Rs330 million in e-auction, he said.