State’s GST collection worst in country: SAD

Finance minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa said Punjab recorded the maximum shortfall of 44%

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Friday said the Punjab government’s performance on account of Goods and Services Tax (GST) collection was the worst in the country and that it was resorting to a mischievous campaign to divert attention from its own failures by accusing the Centre of not releasing its share of compensation.

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Addressing a press conference in Chandigarh, former finance minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa said it was a matter of concern that Punjab recorded the maximum shortfall of 44% in revenue collection through GST in the first five months of 2019-20 financial year.

He claimed the average country-wide shortfall was only 21%. He said the GST revenue shortfall due to the government’s inefficiency and mismanagement had already touched ₹12,000 crore. “This is likely to increase to ₹20,000 crore in the next two years. A financial emergency is truly in the offing in Punjab,” he said.

“The government has achieved only 34% of the tax targets in the first six months of this year and recorded a 14% shortfall. The situation is worse in the non-planned sector.”

The Congress government is misleading the people of Punjab by stating ₹ 4,100 crore was due from the Centre on account of GST compensation. The actual figure for two months is only ₹2,100 crore. The remaining ₹2,000 crore is a claim which the Punjab government is seeking under some other head which has already been denied to it.”