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Punjab Finance, Planning, Excise and Taxation Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema here today announced that the Punjab Government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has set a historic record in tax revenue for April 2026 and the State has achieved its highest ever monthly Goods and Services Tax (GST) since the implementation of GST and also stood first in the country in overall GST revenue growth rate.

What did Harpal Singh say?

Giving details of this unprecedented achievement in a press statement issued here, Finance Minister Harpal Singh said, "The state has recorded a total GST of Rs 2987.38 crore with a net GST of Rs 2725.08 crore. This stellar performance reflects a robust growth of 70.70% in net GST on a year-on-year basis, translating into an impressive increase of approximately Rs 1,129 crore compared to our April 2025 realization."

Giving details about the situation of Punjab at the national level, the Excise and Taxation Minister said, "According to Government of India data, Punjab has recorded a spectacular growth of 66% in post-settlement GST, which has increased from Rs 1,795 crore last year to Rs 2,987 crore. This positions us as the fastest growing state in the country, significantly surpassing the all-India growth average and leading among all North Indian states."

Giving information regarding the financial data, Finance Minister Harpal Singh said, "Although the year-on-year comparison is affected by the extraordinary IGST adjustment of Rs 859 crore from April 2025, neutralizing this factor results in an adjusted gross growth of 12.57% and adjusted net growth of 10.97%. This clearly reflects our continuous improvements in tax administration and compliance."

Attributing this financial achievement to stringent administrative measures, the Excise and Taxation Minister said, "Our strong GST growth can be attributed to intensified enforcement activities across Punjab. Through extensive use of data analytics, coordinated field action and intelligence-based inspections, we have been successful in imposing fines of over Rs 175 crore. Additionally, during a special anti-tax evasion drive in the Iron and Steel sector this April, we conducted a record enforcement drive by seizing around 200 vehicles in a single day."

What did Cheema say on GST revenue collection?

Reiterating the commitment of the Punjab government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to strengthen the revenue base of the state, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema stressed, "Punjab’s top position in GST revenue collection is a testament to the focused strategy of the tax department, which seamlessly blends technology-driven enforcement with convenience for genuine taxpayers. We are fully committed to continuing to take strict action against tax evasion while ensuring a fair, transparent and supportive tax system for all rule-abiding taxpayers."