Chandigarh, February 18. Punjab Finance, Planning, Excise and Taxation Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema on Tuesday made an announcement. He said that the Excise and Taxation Department has conducted targeted GST registration drives. These efforts aim to broaden the GST tax base. Consequently, authorities added 46,338 new taxpayers in 2023–24 and approximately 33,000 new taxpayers up to December 2024. He said they launched a statewide campaign.

The campaign aims to educate taxpayers on filing procedures. It includes ITC claims and highlights compliance benefits.

Punjab GST Drive Registers 10,500 New Dealers

The Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema revealed this in a press communique issued here. He said that the State GST department initiated another GSTR registration drive in January 2025. They visited approximately 48,000 new dealers. They successfully registered around 10,500 eligible dealers across Punjab. He said that various community engagement methods were used during the registration drive. These included awareness camps. There were meetings with market and industry associations. They also had interactions with professionals such as Chartered Accountants (CAs), advocates, and accountants.

The Finance Minister highlighted the initiatives taken to promote tax compliance among consumers. FM said that the department has extended the “Bill Liyao Inaam Pao Scheme.” He also sought the active involvement of school and college students to spread awareness among the younger generation. He said the scheme has successfully imposed penalties worth Rs 8.15 crore on non-compliant taxpayers and rewarded 4,106 consumers with Rs. 2.45 Crore for uploading their buy bills on Mera Bill app.

“To increase tax revenue from registered dealers, the department has ensured proper GST filing and compliance. 93% of registered taxpayers consistently file returns on time. The department has taken several measures. It has penalized tax evaders. It also collaborated with IIT Hyderabad to integrate advanced data analytic tools. Additionally, it implemented adjudication and scrutiny modules to prevent revenue leakages”, said the Finance Minister.

Finance Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema emphasized that expanding the GST tax base is crucial for improving revenue. It is also important for reducing tax evasion and ensuring a fair taxation system. He said that the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government is committed to achieving this goal. They plan to bring unregistered businesses under GST. They also aim to enhance compliance among registered taxpayers.