12.52 pc growth in net GST, 9.15 pc in excise revenue for FY 2025-26: Harpal Singh Cheema

Punjab Finance, Excise and Taxation Minister Harpal Singh Cheema flagged off 25 new vehicles to strengthen the operational mobility and enforcement capabilities of the Excise and Taxation Department, asserting that the approximately Rs 2.21-crore move would significantly enhance field presence, curb tax evasion and boost revenue generation for the Punjab Government.

During the financial year 2025-26, the department delivered a robust performance, recording healthy growth in tax collections over the previous financial year.

Detailing the strong revenue growth, he noted, “Overall tax revenue witnessed a strong year-on-year growth. Gross GST collections increased by 11.87 per cent to Rs 27,744.05 crore from Rs 24,799.18 crore, while net GST collections rose by 12.52 per cent to Rs 26,601.12 crore from Rs 23,642.08 crore. Similarly, our excise revenue grew by 9.15 per cent, reaching Rs 11,736.57 crore compared to Rs 10,752.80 crore in 2024-25.”

A standout achievement has been the performance of the State Intelligence and Preventive Units (SIPUs) in enforcement activities. In FY 2024-25, the total penalty imposed through road checking and inspections stood at Rs 321.04 crore. This has risen sharply to Rs 1,384.09 crore in FY 2025-26, representing more than a four-fold increase in penalty imposition and nearly a six-fold rise in recovery.