No new taxes in Punjab budget, promises finance minister Cheema
Sangrur: Saying no to new taxes, Punjab finance, excise and taxation minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Thursday spelt out his government’s priority -- filling the state coffers by plugging revenue leakages
Sangrur: Saying no to new taxes, Punjab finance, excise and taxation minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Thursday spelt out his government’s priority -- filling the state coffers by plugging revenue leakages.
“The AAP has come to power with a promise to provide relief to the common man, and the next budget will come as a big relief for them. The party aims at providing a corruption-free and honest government. We will keep all promises made by Arvind Kejriwal, which include free power and ₹1,000 per month to every woman, without imposing any new tax. The coffers will be filled by checking pilferage and tax theft,” he said while replying to a media query about empty coffers vis-à-vis financial burden of new promises made by the AAP.
“There are mining, cable, electricity and liquor mafias. We will rein them in, and the money will go to the state exchequer, which in turn will unburden the debt-ridden state,” he elaborated.
He said that he has already asked officials to prepare the budget as per the vision document of the party for Punjab.
Cheema was in Sangrur for the first time after taking oath as a cabinet minister and met his supporters and party workers.
He said that it’s for the first time in two decades that the finance, excise and taxation portfolios have been allocated to one minister for better policy making.
The new excise policy will eliminate liquor mafia and increase revenue.
When asked why village heads had been told to stop using funds, he said that the decision was taken to manage finances in a better way as previous government distributed funds without any proper policy for the development of villages.
He said that the AAP workers have been asked to be polite with officials, he will be dealt with sternly.
The minister said that proper arrangements have been made for wheat procurement the lifting, with the facility of cash credit limit (CCL) in place.