Chandigarh, July 12 ; Punjab Finance, Planning, Excise and Taxation Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema on Friday announced a significant crackdown on vendors issuing invalid bills under the ‘Bill Liyao Inam Pao’ scheme, with penalties totalling Rs 7.63 crore imposed and Rs 5.87 crore already recovered.

  In a press communique issued here, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema highlighted the success of the scheme, announcing that authorities have resolved 711 out of 1604 notices issued to vendors for billing discrepancies. He also noted that the scheme has resulted in 123 new GST registrations. As a result, this demonstrates an improvement in tax compliance.

Scheme Launched by CM Bhagwant Singh Mann

      “The scheme launched by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on August 21, 2023, encourages consumers to upload purchase bills via the ‘Mera Bill App’ and has seen a robust response, with 91,719 bills uploaded to date,” said Cheema. He added that they have awarded prizes worth Rs 1.37 crore to 2,353 ‘Bill Liyao Inaam Pao’ scheme winners to date.

The Finance Minister urged residents to keep participating and retaining purchase bills, with monthly prizes up to Rs 10,000. He clarified that they exclude bills for petroleum products, liquor, out-of-state purchases, and B2B transactions. They consider only bills from the last month for the draw; consequently, this ensures both fairness and effectiveness.

‘Bill Liyao Inam Pao’ scheme playing a vital role in this endeavour

  The Finance Minister said that the Taxation department’s enforcement actions have significantly advanced Punjab’s efforts to promote tax compliance and transparency. Consequently, these actions have played a crucial role in enhancing the state’s tax framework.The ‘Bill Liyao Inam Pao’ scheme has played a crucial role in this. “By encouraging consumers to upload bills on the Mera Bill mobile app, this initiative fosters transparency, accountability, and compliance, ultimately strengthening the tax ecosystem,” said Cheema.