Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema flags off 25 new vehicles to boost excise & taxation enforcement amidst record revenue growth
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CHANDIGARH; 17th April 2026 (WISHAVWARTA);- Punjab Finance, Excise and Taxation Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema on Friday flagged off 25 new Bolero vehicles to strengthen the operational mobility and enforcement capabilities of the Excise and Taxation Department, asserting that the move will significantly enhance field presence, curb tax evasion, and boost revenue generation for the Punjab Government.
Addressing a press, Minister Harpal Singh Cheema stated, “Today marks a vital step forward for our state administration as we officially flag off 25 new Bolero vehicles to significantly enhance the operational mobility and enforcement capabilities of the Excise and Taxation Department.”
Emphasising the need for stronger on-ground operations and wider geographical reach, the Minister stated, “To ensure maximum geographical coverage and operational efficiency, the Department has procured these 25 Bolero vehicles at a total cost of approximately ₹2.21 crore. These vehicles will be deployed across various districts, enforcement wings, and our critical mobile units.”
Highlighting the crucial role played by the department in strengthening Punjab’s finances, Minister Harpal Singh Cheema noted, “The Excise and Taxation Department plays a crucial role in ensuring strict compliance with tax laws across the State. During the financial year 2025-26, the Department delivered a robust performance, recording healthy growth in tax collections over the previous financial year of 2024-25.”
Detailing the strong revenue growth, he noted, “Overall tax revenue witnessed a strong year-on-year growth. Gross GST collections increased by 11.87% to ₹27,744.05 Crore from ₹24,799.18 Crore, while Net GST collections rose by 12.52% to ₹26,601.12 Crore from ₹23,642.08 Crore. Similarly, our Excise revenue grew by 9.15%, reaching ₹11,736.57 Crore compared to ₹10,752.80 Crore in 2024-25.”
Underscoring the sharp improvement in enforcement outcomes, Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said, “A standout achievement has been the exceptional 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 ₹321.04 crores.”
The Minister asserted, “I am proud to say that this has risen sharply to ₹1,384.09 crores in FY 2025-26, representing more than a four-fold increase in penalty imposition and nearly a six-fold rise in recovery. This substantial improvement highlights the dedication, efficiency, and strengthened ground-level enforcement efforts of our Department.”
Explaining the strategic importance of the newly inducted fleet, Minister Harpal Singh Cheema stated, “This strategic initiative is expected to substantially strengthen the field presence of our officers. It will directly enable prompt inspections and investigations, improve our surveillance of inter-state goods movement, and greatly enhance our overall effectiveness in curbing tax evasion.”
“Consequently, this proactive measure will contribute heavily to higher revenue generation for the Government,” he added.
Outlining the department’s forward-looking vision, Minister Harpal Singh Cheema concluded, “The addition of this robust fleet will further augment the Department’s capacity for real-time monitoring, swift action, and improved tax compliance across the region. Ultimately, we are paving the way for sustained and enhanced performance in the coming years, ensuring that our tax infrastructure remains vigilant and uncompromising.”
