State launches Lucky Bill app

The State government launched the Lucky Bill App to encourage consumers to upload invoices in a bid to curb tax evasion on Tuesday.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who formally launched the mobile application developed by the State Goods and Services Tax (GST) department, said the platform would become an effective tool in curbing unhealthy commercial practices. The initiative, the first-of-its-kind to be introduced in the country, was also bound to prompt the public to demand bills while purchasing goods, he said.

According to him, the scheme was not just aimed at boosting tax collection, but also at enabling the government to examine the status of tax return filings by assessing uploaded bills.

Mr. Vijayan added the State GST department had become a fully digitised department with the e-office system being extended across all GST offices in the State.

Presiding over the function, Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal said the application was bound to enhance sales with consumers enthused by attractive prizes offered by the government. While bringing sales transactions under close scrutiny, the initiative would rejuvenate business during the post-COVID-19 phase.

He said the State exchequer recorded an increase in tax revenue of ₹11,000 crore during the last fiscal (when compared to the previous one). The government hoped to generate more revenue this year, Mr. Balagopal said.

The Minister added prizes worth ₹5 crore would be offered annually for the winners selected among buyers who upload their bills. Besides, daily, weekly and monthly draws would be held in addition to a bumper prize of ₹25 lakh.

The application, designed by the Digital University Kerala (DUK), can be downloaded from the Google Play Store or www.keralataxes.gov.in.

Transport Minister Antony Raju, district panchayat president D. Suresh Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary (Finance) Rajesh Kumar Singh, Taxes Commissioner Rathan U. Kelkar, Special Commissioner Veena S. Madhavan, DUK Vice Chancellor Saji Gopinath, Kerala Vypari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi president Raju Apsara, and Kerala Vypari Vyavasayi Samithi general secretary E.S. Biju, also participated.