Punjab Finance, Planning, Excise and Taxation Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Monday directed the officials of the Tax Department to resolve all the pending VAT (value added tax) cases within four months to ensure an increase in revenue collection that will be used for the state’s development.
Cheema, during an informal interaction with media after a review meeting of the Tax Department, said that the Department has been asked to resolve the pending cases related to VAT within four months. Cases, in which 25 per cent of the assessed amount has not been deposited by the appellant, should be resolved within one month, he directed.
He said that apart from this, the officials of the department have been directed to follow-up all the cases under hearing in the VAT Tribunal and the High Court to put the Department's view clearly in front of these forums.
During a high-level meeting of the tax department, the finance minister was apprised of the achievements of various divisions of the department regarding tax collection under GST, VAT and CST through a powerpoint presentation.
Meanwhile, a brainstorming discussion was held on the issue of putting a full stop on tax evasion. Expressing satisfaction over the performance of the officials of the Tax Department, Cheema assured to provide necessary technical and human resources while welcoming the suggestions given by the officials to prevent tax evasion. He also made it clear that corruption will not be tolerated at any level.
Electricity Amendment Bill: AAP will oppose such move by holding protests from villages to Parliament
Speaking on the Electricity Amendment Bill-2022, Finance Minister Cheema said that when Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was a member of the Parliament, he had strongly opposed the move when this Bill was brought earlier by the BJP-led Central Government in 2020 along with three black farm laws.
At that time, the then Union Minister and SAD leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal had supported the Bill. “While withdrawing this bill at that time, the Central Government had promised that the state governments, farmers and other stakeholders would be consulted before bringing this bill again,” he said adding that by breaking its promise, “the BJP-led government has once again brought the Bill without consulting stakeholders.
“The BJP-led Central Government is trying to appease its corporate cronies,” said Cheema while adding that the Aam Aadmi Party will oppose any such move by holding protests from villages to Parliament to safeguard the rights of farmers and common people.
