Punjab government mulling over merging small depts with similar functions, says minister Harpal Cheema
He said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government was doing its best to resurrect the state economy which was left bleeding by the previous governments. He, however, reiterated that freebies like free electricity to consumers would continue.
As part of its austerity drive to cut unnecessary expenses, the Punjab government is mulling to merge small departments, finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema said here on Monday.
Addressing a press conference in the district administrative complex, Cheema said that irrelevant departments would be closed and the staff would be readjusted to cut expenses.
“Merging departments of similar functions is on the government’s ‘to-do list’, Cheema added.
He said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government was doing its best to resurrect the state economy which was left bleeding by the previous governments. He, however, reiterated that freebies like free electricity to consumers would continue.
“Our focus is on plugging loopholes in the tax net and we have collaborated with IIT, Hyderabad, to collect data on tax evasion. State’s total revenue collection in the 2042-25 fiscal stood at ₹42,289 crore, which was the result of the successful implementation of excise and taxation policies”, he said.
Responding to state Congress leaders’ allegations, Cheema denied that the government had given any monthly targets of raids to the excise and GST officials.
“The government’s only directive was to prevent tax evasion. Whosoever is found guilty of tax evasion would be tried under the prescribed taxation norms”, he added.
Replying to another query, he said the government was in the process of settling outstanding payments of the 6th Pay Commission beneficiaries. A package of ₹14,191 crore was being disbursed among the employees and the pensioners, he added.
Cheema, who is also the head of the cabinet sub-committee on ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ (war against drugs), claimed that Punjab was on the path of becoming the first drug-free state.
He said drugs flowed freely in the 10-year rule of the SAD-BJP government and subsequent Congress government also failed to check it.
“The AAP government was working relentlessly to erase the menace, Cheema said lauding the Hoshiarpur district administration for its pro-active drive against the drug peddlers.
