DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Punjab Finance, Planning, Excise and Taxation Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema announced on Friday that the state has once again broken records in tax revenue growth, with the Goods and Services Tax (GST) collection registering a net growth of 32.08% in July 2025 compared to the same period last year. He said that this robust performance is part of the state's consistent trend of setting record-breaking growth in tax revenue year-on-year and month-on-month for the last three and half years

In a press communiqu? issued here, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema highlighted that the net GST revenue collected in July 2025 was Rs. 2357.78 crore, a substantial increase of Rs. 572.71 crore compared to the Rs. 1785.07 crore collected in July 2024. He said that the state's impressive growth trajectory is also evident in the year-to-date figures. "Up to July of the current financial year, net GST revenue has reached Rs. 9188.18 crore, marking an increase of Rs. 2025.36 crore over the Rs. 7162.82 crore collected during the same period in the 2024-25 fiscal year", he added.

Finance Minister Cheema attributed this remarkable growth to the effective policies implemented by the Aam Admi Party led Punjab Government, which have fostered a conducive business environment and encouraged tax compliance. He said that the department's enforcement actions have also played a crucial role in curbing tax evasion, with a focus on providing assistance to honest taxpayers.

Highlighting the department's aggressive stance against tax evasion, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema revealed that the Department of Taxation, Punjab's State Investigation and Preventive Unit (SIPU) recovered Rs 156.40 crore in penalties during the first quarter of FY 2025-26. The breakdown includes Rs 57.43 crore from road checks and Rs 98.97 crore from inspections and verifications. Furthermore, SIPU uncovered two significant GST fraud cases, involving Rs 2,620.80 crore in fake transactions and estimated tax evasion of Rs 296.32 crore. The department's intensified enforcement efforts are underscored by the registration of two FIRs in June 2025 for scams surpassing this amount.

The Finance Minister emphasized that the Punjab government's proactive measures have positioned the state among the top performers in tax mobilization, despite many challenges. He said that the state's GST collection growth rate has consistently surpassed the national average, reflecting the effectiveness of the government's policies and initiatives.

The Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema reiterated the Punjab government's commitment to maintaining a transparent, efficient, and equitable tax system that promotes economic growth while ensuring fair contributions from all stakeholders.

(editor@dailyworld.in)