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Punjab’s Finance, Planning, Excise, and Taxation Minister, Harpal Singh Cheema, has issued a directive aimed at maximizing taxpayer participation in the GST amnesty scheme for non-fraud cases. This scheme, introduced under Section 128A of the CGST Act, allows taxpayers to clear outstanding GST dues from the financial years 2017-18 to 2019-20 by March 31, 2025, without interest or penalties. The necessary forms for the scheme must be submitted by June 30, 2025.
During a meeting with senior officers at Punjab Bhawan, Cheema emphasized the need for comprehensive public awareness campaigns using both traditional media and social media platforms. The goal is to inform eligible taxpayers about the benefits of the scheme and encourage participation. He also stressed that field staff must engage directly with taxpayers to help them access the scheme and recover revenue locked in arrears, which is vital for strengthening the state’s financial position.
The GST amnesty scheme aims to alleviate the compliance burden on taxpayers by waiving interest and penalties on tax demands raised under Section 73 of the CGST Act. It is designed to simplify the tax settlement process and improve the state’s revenue collection.
Cheema also directed all officers to ensure revenue targets are met without fail. The finance minister received updates on the state’s VAT and GST collections, which showed positive growth. VAT revenue rose by 5.74%, while GST revenue saw a stronger growth of 13.39% up to February 2025. The Ludhiana and Amritsar divisions were highlighted as key contributors to this success, showing exceptional performance in GST revenue collection.
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