Chandigarh, May 1 (PTI) The Punjab government has set a benchmark in tax revenue with the highest-ever monthly collection of Goods and Services Tax (GST) at 2,987.38 crore in April, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said on Friday.

"The state has recorded a gross GST collection of Rs 2,987.38 crore alongside a net GST collection of Rs 2,725.08 crore. This exceptional performance reflects a remarkable year-on-year net GST growth of 70.70 per cent, translating to an impressive increase of approximately Rs 1,129 crore over our collections in April 2025," the minister for finance, planning, excise and taxation said.

Elaborating on Punjab's position in the country, the minister said, "According to Government of India data, Punjab has recorded a staggering 66 per cent growth in post-settlement GST, surging from Rs 1,795 crore last year to Rs 2,987 crore. This establishes us as the highest-growing state in the country, significantly outperforming the all-India growth average and leading all north Indian states." Providing context on the fiscal metrics, the state finance minister said, "While the year-on-year comparison is influenced by an abnormal IGST adjustment of Rs 859 crore from April 2025, neutralising this factor reveals an adjusted gross growth of 12.57 per cent and an adjusted net growth of 10.97 per cent." "This clearly demonstrates our sustained, organic improvements in core tax administration and compliance," he said, according to an official statement.

Attributing this financial milestone to rigorous administrative measures, the minister said, "Our robust GST growth is directly supported by intensified enforcement activities across Punjab. Through the extensive leverage of data analytics, coordinated field action, and intelligence-based inspections, we have successfully imposed penalties exceeding Rs 175 crore.

He further said that during a special anti-evasion operation in the iron and steel sector this April, the state executed a record enforcement drive by detaining nearly 200 vehicles in a single day.

Reiterating Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann-led Punjab government's commitment to strengthening the revenue base in the state, Cheema emphasised, "Punjab's top ranking in GST revenue mobilisation is a testament to the taxation department's focused strategy, which perfectly combines technology-driven enforcement with genuine taxpayer facilitation".

"We remain entirely committed to continuing strict action against tax evasion, while ensuring a fair, transparent, and supportive taxation system for all compliant taxpayers," he said. PTI SUN HVA