Chandigarh [India], August 24 : In a determined bid to strengthen fiscal discipline and boost state revenue, the Punjab Government has launched an aggressive drive to recover long-pending excise arrears inherited from previous SAD-BJP and Congress regimes. Punjab Finance, Planning, Excise and Taxation Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema announced that the Excise Commissionerate has already recovered Rs 1.85 crore in the current financial year 2025-26.
To accelerate the process, permission has been granted to auction 27 properties with a combined base value of Rs. 20.31 crore. The first phase of auctions will see 14 properties in Sri Muktsar Sahib, Fazilka, and Mansa districts go under the hammer in the first two weeks of September.
Providing details, Cheema said that six properties in Mansa and Bathinda districts--comprising agricultural and commercial/residential land with a base value of Rs. 5.4 crore--will be auctioned on September 4. Four agricultural properties in Sri Muktsar Sahib with a base price of Rs. 4.89 crore will follow on September 8, while another four agricultural properties in Sri Muktsar Sahib and Fazilka, worth Rs. 1.99 crore, will be auctioned on September 11. Eight more properties are scheduled for auction later in September.
The Finance Minister noted that the government expects a substantial recovery from 67 pending arrears cases during this financial year. He described the initiative as part of a broader strategy to resolve legacy dues and mobilize stalled revenue streams.
Drawing a sharp contrast with the previous regimes, Cheema said that under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, license fees are being collected on time, preventing the accumulation of arrears. He termed the recovery of long-pending dues a crucial step toward strengthening Punjab's fiscal health and reaffirmed the Aam Aadmi Party government's commitment to transparent and accountable governance.