The Punjab government has decided to introduce online payment of value-added tax (VAT) refund from April 1, 2013.
At a meeting of the state consultative committee of the excise and taxation department here on Thursday, deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal also announced the creation of a monthly dedicated corpus of Rs. 150 crore in the department for hassle-free refund.

He said Punjab was set to introduce total computerisation in the department within a year.

Services such as e-payment, e-permit, e-pass and e billing have already been started, he added.

Sukhbir also announced to "star-categorise" VAT dealers   from one star to five   as per their record of compliance category. Five-star dealers would get priority in all services provided by the department, he said.