Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced on Friday that the state has cleared its entire electricity subsidy bill of Rs 20,200 crore for the previous fiscal year, as well as an increase in excise and GST revenue. Mann told the media that the state’s revenue for the fiscal year 2022-23 was Rs 8,841 crore, a 41.41 percent increase over the revenue for the previous fiscal year.
He stated that his administration has set an excise revenue target of Rs 10,000 crore for the current fiscal year, while criticising previous administrations for allowing the state’s “liquor mafia.” Mann stated that the state has increased its Goods and Services Tax collection by 16.6 percent, earning Rs 18,126 crore in revenue for fiscal years 2022-23. “In terms of GST collection, we are now among the top states,” he said. Mann reported a 78 percent increase in stamp duty and fee collection in the month of March. The government had previously announced a 2.25 percent exemption on stamp duty and property registration fees.
The CM said his government has cleared the total electricity subsidy bill of Rs 20,200 crore for the last financial year and asserted that the government will ensure uninterrupted power supply to the people. “In 2022–23, which is the first year when the Punjab government paid the entire subsidy bill of Rs 20,200 crore to the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited, Not even a single penny was pending towards the PSPCL,” he said.
He said that the government has also paid the first installment of Rs 1,804 crore out of the legacy amount of Rs 9,020 crore that had been pending for the previous years. The amount of Rs 9,020 crore will be given in five installments, said Mann. Mann said the Rs 20,200 crore amount comprised Rs 9,063.79 crore (free electricity to the farm sector), Rs 8,225 crore for domestic consumers, and Rs 2,910 crore for the industry sector. Replying to a question on radical preacher Amritpal Singh, who continues to be on the run since March 18, when Punjab Police launched a crackdown against him and his aides, Mann said, “When any development comes, we will let you know.”
To a query on crop damage because of rains, Mann said 60 percent of the girdawari (field inspection) to assess the loss is complete and also said the compensation will be given to affected farmers. The distribution of compensation will start with Baisakhi, he said.
