Online auction draws little interest

Universal registration of vehicle numbers launched last month

LAHORE:

The launching of online auction of attractive vehicle registration numbers by the Punjab Excise and Taxation Department has resulted in a substantial decline in revenue.

Earlier, the department raised millions of rupees for one number in the auction conducted physically.

Through the new system, that department sold two numbers in a series by e-auction and got only Rs18,000, while Rs7,100 was received from the numbers of motorcycles in one e-series.

More than 200,000 motorcycles and 13,000 other vehicles have been registered in the first month and a half after the start of the universal number series in the province.

At the end of August, the excise department started online auction for numbers in high demand in the entire province, but has failed to generate much revenue from the exercise. During the past six weeks, over 230,000 vehicles have been registered across the province.

The highest ratio of registration of cars was in Lahore, where 80% of the vehicles were registered, although the number series is the same across the province.

On the other hand, about 70% of motorcycles were registered in other cities and 30% in the provincial capital. Only 505 numbers were sold in 13 online auctions for cars and 474 registration numbers were sold in 15 series of motorcycles.

The online auction of car registration numbers generated only Rs6.7 million and that of motorbike numbers Rs770,000.

Earlier, the excise department used to get millions of rupees through the auction.

The main reason for the failure of the online auction is the long process of three days with repeated visits to banks and the excise offices.

Commenting on the situation, Punjab Minister for Excise and Taxation Hafiz Mumtaz Ahmed said the system was new and many people do not know how to participate in it. “The department was informing the people about the process and the online auction system had been started for their benefit.”

The minister said adopting modern technology was the need of the hour.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 18^th, 2020.