Chandigarh, Dec 23 (PTI) Punjab Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Tuesday said the state's GST collections rose 16.03 per cent to Rs 17,860.09 crore till November this fiscal, and excise revenue mop-up increased 8.64 per cent to Rs 7,401 crore.

Attributing this success to a harmonious framework of innovation and vigilance, the minister highlighted that the Excise and Taxation department has not only surpassed previous benchmarks but also successfully implemented the One-Time Settlement (OTS) Scheme-2025 and advanced data analytics to dismantle tax evasion.

Reviewing the sectoral performance, the finance, planning, excise and taxation minister said the Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections grew by Rs 2,467.30 crore over the corresponding period of the previous year, reflecting the state's focus on economic recovery and improved taxpayer compliance.

He said that even after the GST 2.0 rate rationalisation in September 2025, which reduced taxes on essential items from 12 per cent to 5 per cent, the department's targeted initiatives kept cash tax collections steady.

Simultaneously, the Value Added Tax (VAT) and Central Sales Tax (CST) collections reached Rs 5,451.76 crore, marking a 3.35 per cent increase compared to the prior year, he added.

"The Excise Commissionerate has also displayed exceptional performance under the Excise Policy 2025-26, which set an ambitious annual collection target of Rs 11,020 crore.

"By November 2025, the department has already registered an 8.64 per cent increase in excise revenue over the same period last year," the minister said, adding that this follows the record-breaking performance of the previous financial year 2024-25, where revenue grew by 16.36 per cent to reach Rs 10,723 crore.

He also emphasised that enforcement remains a priority, with 3,860 FIRs lodged and 3,795 arrests made this year to curb liquor smuggling and illicit distillation.

Cheema further added that another major highlight of the year was the success of the One-Time Settlement (OTS) Scheme-2025, which has disposed of 3,574 cases as of December 18, 2025, yielding Rs 52 crore in total recoveries while providing tax waivers to the trading community.

He said that the taxation department also leveraged its indigenous Tax Intelligence Unit (TIU) and big data analytics to recover Rs 344.06 crore in taxes and penalties through tool-generated insights.

The persistent monitoring of GSTR-3B non-filers resulted in Rs 2,185.96 crore in cash deposits, he added.

The minister also lauded the State Intelligence & Preventive Units (SIPUs) for their escalated enforcement regime, which saw penalty impositions rise to Rs 618.53 crore between April and November 2025 compared to Rs 321.03 crore for the entirety of the previous year.

"To ensure the long-term efficiency of these operations, the department has invested heavily in capacity building, training 5,111 officers through 144 specialised programmes in collaboration with national agencies like NACIN and GSTN," Cheema said, adding that these integrated strategies have fortified revenue safeguards and will ensure sustained momentum for the remainder of this fiscal year. PTI SUN BAL BAL

GST collections rose 16% through November; excise revenue up 8.6% amid enforcement, analytics, and settlement measures. GST collections rose 16.03% to Rs 17,860.09 crore through November and excise revenue increased 8.64% to Rs 7,401 crore; enforcement actions (3,860 FIRs, 3,795 arrests) and targeted measures including the One-Time Settlement (OTS) Scheme-2025, Tax Intelligence Unit analytics (recovering Rs 344.06 crore), and GSTR-3B non-filer monitoring underpinned the revenue gains.