Pay 5 lakh for motor vehicle number 0001: Punjab hikes reserve price for fancy vehicle registration numbers

• 0001 – Rs 5 lakh
• 0002 to 0009, and 0786 – Rs 2 lakh
• 0010 to 0099 – Rs 1 lakh
• 0100, 0200, 0300, 0400, 0500, 0600, 0700, 0800, 0900, 1000, 0101, 0111, 0777, 0888, 0999, 1111, 7777, 1008, 0295, and 1313 – Rs 1 lakh
• 2000, 3000, 4000, and similar series – Rs 50,000
• 0123 and several other fancy numbers – Rs 20,000
• Other fancy numbers – Rs 10,000

Additionally, the fee for obtaining a registration number of choice (out of turn), other than the prescribed fancy numbers, has been increased to Rs 10,000 within the district and Rs 20,000 for outside the district.

Previously, the reserve price for 0001 was Rs 2.5 lakh, which has now been doubled to Rs 5 lakh. The price for 0002 to 0009 was Rs 25,000 last year and has now surged to Rs 2 lakh, marking an eightfold increase. The price for 0010 to 0099 has increased from Rs 12,500 to Rs 1 lakh. Other fancy numbers, which were previously priced at Rs 5,000, now have a reserve price of Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000.

The number of fancy registration numbers available for auction has also increased from 272 to 450 this year.

By raising the reserve prices, the cash-strapped Punjab government expects to generate Rs 100 crore from this auction, compared to Rs 60 crore last year. The move is part of the government’s efforts to boost revenue.

The e-auction charges will range between Rs 1,000 and Rs 2,000, and bidders must deposit 20% of the reserve price as earnest money along with non-refundable registration charges as notified earlier.

In a bid to improve finances, the Punjab government had withdrawn the Rs 1,500 crore subsidy introduced by former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi. It also increased VAT on petrol and diesel, raised bus fares, and imposed a green tax on vehicles that have outlived their operational life.