Chandigarh: In an effort to plug revenue leakage, the Punjab government has mooted a proposal to award consumers insisting on bill after buying any commodity from a retail store.
A senior official of the Excise and Taxation Department said the prize, which is to encourage billing, would be in the gift form and a special fund may be allocated for the same.

Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said, "this move, besides encouraging (tax) compliance, will educate the consumers regarding their rights and duties". A draw of lots should be drawn every month on the bills submitted by retail consumers to the Department and prizes would be declared district-wise and also state-wise, he said in a release issued here.
The Punjab government faces huge amount of revenue leakage every year because of non-issuance of bill by unscrupulous shopkeepers as they indulge in suppressing their sales to avoid tax payment.
Badal, who holds a portfolio of Excise and Taxation Department, today held a meeting with senior officials of the department.
He lauded the department for raising the revenue of state from Rs 5,000 crore to 15,000 crore within a span of five years.
Insisting on zero tolerance to corruption, Badal said that he has already give an order for strengthening and equipping internal vigilance and enforcement wings of the department. He also gave a nod to recruit 136 Excise and Taxation Officers within next three months, besides filling up all vacant posts of assessing authorities.
PTI