Panjab News

[5aaban]

Asif Jalal new BSF IG (Punjab Frontier)

Chandigarh, March 1

Asif Jalal has been appointed as Inspector General (IG) of the Border Security Force’s “Punjab Frontier” that is responsible for guarding the International Border with Pakistan.

He takes over from Sonali Mishra, who was the first-woman officer to head this frontier.

Jalal was on on deputation in the Central Bureau of Investigation at New Delhi.

He has also served as IG (Shimla Range) and IG (Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau) where he was associated with the launch of Emergency Response Support System, Gudiya Helpline for women’s safety and Shakti button.  

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/jalal-new-bsf-ig-pb-frontier-374255

[5aaban]

At ₹15,109 crore, Punjab’s annual GST revenue highest in five years

The GST revenue, including state goods and services tax (SGST) and integrated goods and services tax (IGST), of ₹15,109 crore in the first 11 months (April 2021 to February 2022) of the financial year 2021-22 has already surpassed the previous highest collection of ₹13,568 crore in 2018-19, according to the indirect tax data compiled by the state taxation department

Chandigarh : Despite the coronavirus pandemic, Punjab has reported its highest goods and services tax (GST) collection since the inception of the new indirect tax regime five years ago, in the current financial year.

 

The GST revenue, including state goods and services tax (SGST) and integrated goods and services tax (IGST), of ₹15,109 crore in the first 11 months (April 2021 to February 2022) of the financial year 2021-22 has already surpassed the previous highest collection of ₹13,568 crore in 2018-19, according to the indirect tax data compiled by the state taxation department.

If the present growth continues, the state will end the year with the goods and services tax revenue of more than ₹16,200 crore.

37% year-on-year jump in collection

The April-February mop-up in the current fiscal is also 37% higher than ₹11,019 crore collected during the corresponding period of 2020-21. In the previous financial year, the state’s GST collection had dropped after coronavirus broke out and brought out business activities to a grinding halt for several months. The robust growth in GST collection in the current year that saw the second and third Covid waves is, however, being seen as a sign of strong economic rebound on the back of revival of demand across most sectors in the state.

Taxation commissioner Nilkanth S Avhad attributed the growth in the GST revenue despite the pandemic situation to economic recovery, increased supervision and use of technology to ensure better compliance. “In addition to increased economic activity, the emphasis on anti-evasion measures, particularly better enforcement through on-road detention and data mining and plugging loopholes, are the primary reasons. We are also analysing the demand,” he said on being contacted. As part of their drive to check evasion, the department officials have detained 600 vehicles and imposed ₹13-crore fine every month on an average in the current financial year.

As per the latest figures, the revenue in February 2022 stood at ₹1,307.13 crore against ₹1,053.91 crore in the corresponding month of the previous fiscal, going up by 24%. However, the GST mo-up remains much lower than the protected revenue of ₹2,739 crore per month. At the time of switching to the GST, the Centre had guaranteed 14% year-on-year growth over the 2015-16-base and the state was to be compensated for any shortfall. The new indirect tax regime was implemented from July 1, 2017.

Dip in VAT, CST due to rate cut

On the other hand, the value-added tax (VAT) collection from petroleum products, which have not been brought under the reformed taxation regime, has seen a dip of 25% in February, diving to ₹415.15 crore from ₹553.51 crore in the corresponding month of 2020-21. The drop in collection is a result of the cut in VAT announced by the Congress government last November. The state government had lowered the VAT on petrol and diesel to make them cheaper by ₹10 per litre and ₹5 litre.

The overall VAT revenue of ₹7,019 crore from April 2021 to March 2022 is, however, still 29.21% more than the previous year when the total collection stood at ₹5,432 crore. The year-on-year surge in VAT revenue was driven by rising fuel prices. Diesel and petrol account for 90% of the value-added tax in government kitty and the remaining 10% comes from aviation turbine fuel, and liquor. The central sales tax has also fallen by 19% in February this year, going down to ₹15.26 crore from ₹18.86 crore during the same month of previous fiscal.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/at-15-109-crore-punjab-s-annual-gst-revenue-highest-in-five-years-101646250492319.html

[5aaban]

Will BJP & SAD ally again? Netas keep options open

CHANDIGARH: BJP has neither accepted nor denied the possibility of a post-poll alliance with Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in Punjab, preferring instead to wait it out till the election results are out on March 10. The two parties ended their almost 24-year al-liance after SAD walked out over three contentious farm laws that kept the state on the brink for over a year

“Let the public mandate come first. I am not saying yes or no to any possibility,” BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh said on Sunday. He was reacting to a statement purportedly made by Bikram Singh Majithia, the SAD legis- lator and candidate for Amritsar East constituency.
A media organisation quoted Majithia as saying that SAD will decide on forming an alliance with BJP after the poll results are out. Majithia later said he was misquoted. “Our alliance is with BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party) only,” he said. Speculation about a possible BJP-SAD tie-up has been doing the rounds lately, with people citing PM Modi sparing the SAD first family (former CM Parkash Singh Badal and his son and party chief CM Sukhbir Singh Badal) in his speeches during his extensive campaign in the state before Sunday’s vote. He also called SAD patriarch Parkash Singh Badal after he tested positive for Covid in January.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/will-bjp-sad-ally-again-netas-keep-options-open/articleshow/89712484.cms

[proudkaur21]