The Punjab government has approved the establishment of a new uniformed force to collect waste management taxes across all 41 districts of the province, shifting responsibility from local government institutions following shortcomings in revenue collection.
The force will operate under the administrative control of the Punjab Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Department and will be structured along the lines of the Punjab Enforcement and Regulatory Authority (PERA) force.
Under the existing waste tax regime, households are charged between Rs300 and Rs500, while shops are required to pay Rs1,000.
Members of the new force will visit homes and commercial establishments to issue waste tax bills and collect outstanding dues. Residents will also have the option of making payments online or through the Bank of Punjab.
The force will also have enforcement responsibilities against non-payment. Defaulters could face challans and, where permitted under the applicable legal procedure, arrest.
A total of 305 posts have been approved for the new organisation. These will include 300 Grade-5 constables responsible for collecting sanitation taxes and other charges, with approximately seven to eight personnel expected to be deployed in each district.
The constables will operate under a command structure comprising one director and four deputy directors.
The provincial government also plans to provide the force with 300 electric motorcycles, four Cultus cars and one 1,300cc vehicle to support its operations across Punjab.
Approximately Rs113 million has been earmarked for the purchase of the motorcycles and vehicles.
The creation of the force represents a significant change in Punjab’s approach to collecting waste management charges, moving enforcement from the existing local government framework to a dedicated provincial operation.