Amritsar: During the day of the two-day winter session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema shared with the assembly that Punjab has received ₹3,670 crore as compensation, under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) following a claim of ₹5,005 crore from the state government. As he presented the Punjab Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (Amendment) Bill, 2023, in the assembly, Cheema disclosed that they had filed a claim for GST compensation. Out of this claim, ₹3,670 crore has already been deposited into the state treasury.
Finance Minister Harpal Singh also emphasized that during the Congress government’s tenure, accurate records were not presented to the Centre. Consequently, it was communicated to them by the government that an additional amount of ₹3,900 crore for GST compensation had been allocated to Punjab. Cheema revealed this information for the time. And stressed their demand to return these additional funds. They then conducted an examination of their records.
Cheema emphasized that they not only rejected the Centre’s claim of ₹3,900 crore but also submitted a claim amounting to ₹5,005 crore. The Finance Minister voiced his worries regarding his department’s uncovering of bills involving 800 individuals. He also assured that appropriate measures would be taken against those implicated.
To sum up, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema provided insight into the state’s affairs during the winter session highlighting their stance on seeking GST compensation and addressing any irregularities present, in the system. The ongoing session is expected to delve further into financial matters, bringing transparency and accountability to the forefront of legislative discussions in Punjab.
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