Retail consumers in Punjab are in for a bonanza as they have a chance to win attractive prizes on their bills of goods purchased in the market as Punjab Excise and Taxation Department would give a handsome prize on a lucky bill through draw of lots. In a novel scheme of its own kind in the world, the Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who is holding the portfolio of Excise and Taxation Department, has mooted a proposal that consumers should be encouraged to insist on bill to make it a healthy consumer movement. He said that draw of lots should be drawn every month on the bills submitted by retail consumers to the excise and taxation department and prizes should be declared district wise and also state wise. He said that this move besides encouraging the compliance, would educate the consumers regarding their rights and duties. Earlier addressing the maiden meeting of Excise and Taxation Department, Badal sought their whole hearted cooperation to meet the revenue targets of the state by plugging the leakages and loopholes. He said that credit goes to the excise and taxation department for raising the revenue of state from Rs 5000 to 15000 crore within a span of five years and he assured that full protection and encouragement in their honest discharge of duties. He said that sole aim was to give a pat to performers and punish the non-performers and corrupt. Insisting on Zero Tolerance to corruption, Badal said that he has already give an orders for strengthening and equipping internal vigilance and enforcement wings of the department besides getting multi-agency feed back from independent sources regarding each and every official working in the department. He said that he was out to protect honest and sincere officers and asked department to work out a special reward and out of turn promotion for performing officers. Seeking yearly and monthly reports on the performance of officials, Badal asked the department to construct state-of-the-art building for Excise and Taxation Department with online paperless atmosphere. Emphasising on investing in technology and improvement of work environment, Badal said that within two years total working of the department should be computerized to facilitate the tax payers. Badal also gave a nod to recruit 136 Excise and Taxation Officers within next three months besides filling up all vacant posts of assessing authorities. Sarup Chand Singla, Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Excise and Taxation also participated in the meeting. A. Venuprasad, Excise and Taxation Commissioner, briefed the Deputy Chief Minister about the working of the Excise department.