Punjab achieves major GST expansion with 79,000 new taxpayers: FM Cheema

Punjab Finance, Planning, Excise, and Taxation Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema announced on Tuesday that the Excise and Taxation Department has intensified efforts to expand the GST tax base.

Targeted GST registration drives have resulted in the addition of 46,338 new taxpayers in 2023-24 and approximately 33,000 more by December 2024. Additionally, a statewide campaign has been launched to educate taxpayers on filing procedures, ITC claims, and the benefits of compliance.

In an official press communiqué, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema shared that the State GST department initiated another GSTR registration drive in January 2025. As part of this initiative, officials visited around 48,000 new dealers, successfully registering approximately 10,500 eligible businesses across Punjab.

Various outreach methods were used, including awareness camps, industry meetings, and interactions with professionals such as Chartered Accountants, advocates, and accountants to encourage tax registration.

Highlighting measures to boost tax compliance, the Finance Minister stated that the department has extended the Bill Liyao Inaam Pao Scheme and enlisted school and college students to raise awareness among the younger generation.

He noted that the scheme has led to the imposition of penalties worth ₹8.15 crore on non-compliant taxpayers and rewarded 4,106 consumers with ₹2.45 crore for uploading their purchase bills on the Mera Bill app.

“To enhance tax revenue from registered dealers, the department has ensured proper GST filing and compliance, achieving a 93% timely return filing rate. Additionally, penalties have been imposed on tax evaders, and advanced data analytics tools from IIT Hyderabad have been integrated to strengthen scrutiny and prevent revenue leakages,” stated Finance Minister Cheema.

Emphasizing the importance of expanding the GST tax base, the Minister asserted that it is essential for increasing revenue, minimizing tax evasion, and ensuring a fair taxation system.

He reiterated that the Punjab Government, under Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, remains dedicated to achieving this through a dual strategy—bringing unregistered businesses under GST and enhancing compliance among existing taxpayers.