The Excise And Taxation Department of Punjab Government today took a major stride when the Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal laid the foundation stone of building complex of Excise and Taxation Department here today that would be constructed within 18 months.Accompanied by N.K. Sharma, Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, Former Union Minister and Harbhajan Mann, Chairman, District Planning Committee, Badal made the humble beginning of making Excise and Taxation Department paperless office within one and half year. Speaking on the occasion, the Deputy Chief Minister said that this would be a state-of-the-art building, fully computerized wi-fi building that would provide top class infrastructure to the tax payers dealing daily with the department. He said that this department would be the first department in the state that would become paperless and progressively Punjab Government was planning to computerize all departments within 3 years so that the people can get most of their tasks accomplished online sitting at home. He said that all branches of secretariat were being computerized under E-File project whereas all districts offices are being computerized and connected with WLAN under E-District project. He said that Excise and Taxation Department was the most efficient department of Punjab Government that was instrument in raising the revenue of state government from Rs. 5000 crore to Rs. 15,000 crore within a span of 5 years. He said that he was committed to encourage honest employees of the department and punish those indulging in corruption.Badal said that he was happy that revenue of the state could be tripled without imposing any new tax but by ensuring compliance by the taxpayers. Speaking to media persons, Badal said that NDA would take a decision on Presidential and Vice Presidential nominees and till date no nominee has been discussed by the collective meeting of NDA. He said that it was pre-mature to comment on SAD’s preference of any candidate. Reiterating the commitment of Punjab Government not to allow any illegal possession, Badal said that strict instructions have been issued to all Deputy Commissioner and SSPs to ensure this. He said that the security branch of Punjab Police was reviewing the threat perceptions of all protectees and accordingly unauthorized security personnel attached with any one were being withdrawn and put on normal policing duty. When asked about the arrest of two alleged terrorists along with RDX, who were targeting religious personalities of the state, Badal complimented the Punjab Police for taking preventive and pro-active measures during last five years and saving many lives by such preventive arrests. He said that he was proud of Punjab Police for their exemplary work and informed that the state police has constituted a separate cell to deal with the nefarious activities of ISI.