The Punjab government will convert the property tax assessment system into a capital value tax system to minmise the complaints of people, WealthPK reports. The provincial government is striving to put in place the system by the next fiscal year to benefit the people. Asif Bilal Lodhi, Secretary of Excise, Taxation Department of Punjab, told journalists during his visit to the excise office that the rates of property tax are being assessed with DC rates first.

It is being converted into the latest value system for the satisfaction of the people. He said that they are striving to implement the system by the next fiscal year. There are two main issues of the department including transparency in property tax and issuance of number plates. Bilal Lodhi said that the issues of number plates and smart cards are being resolved gradually as they released 100,000 number plates in the last 15 days.

He added that they have revised the agreement with Pakistan Post for quick delivery of plates and cards to citizens. He said that the vehicle registration system is being made easier as owners will be able to check the status of their vehicles easily through the tracking system soon. He said that the provincial government has launched the “Go Punjab” App in which excise-related information is also available.

The secretary said that the Rs43 billion excise tax target was set across the province for the current fiscal. He added that they have achieved 50% of the target so far and hoped that they would easily achieve the target despite a 35% less registration of vehicles in the ongoing year. Bilal Lodhi said that the Punjab government has given two months’ relaxation in biometrics of vehicles and hoped that the backlog will be cleared during that period.

He said that about Rs24 billion in dues are pending against dead defaulters in the province. He added they have set the Rs4 billion recovery target from dead defaulters in the current year. He said that a state-of-the-art building for the excise office will be constructed in Multan and a police station will be also set up there. Bilal Lodhi said that digital mapping of all art forms and private art schools will be carried out with the help of the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) to promote culture.

He said that a mega package for journalists of the city is in the final stages and the chief minister will announce it soon. Director Excise Jam Siraj Ahmad, Director Bahawalpur Abdullah Khan, Deputy Director Khalid Qasoori and other officials were present. Later, he conducted a meeting with excise officials from three divisions of South Punjab to review the situation of tax recovery.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk