Rs. 1.85 Crore Recovered in FY 2025–26; 27 Properties Worth Rs. 20.31 Crore Set for Auction
14 Properties in Sri Muktsar Sahib, Fazilka, and Mansa to Be Auctioned in Early September
Excise Department Targets Significant Revenue from 67 Pending Arrears Cases
AAP Government’s Commitment to Transparent Governance Contrasts with Past Regimes
Chandigarh, August 24, 2025
Punjab Finance, Planning, Excise, and Taxation Minister Advocate Harpal Cheema announced today that the Punjab Excise Commissionerate has intensified its efforts to recover long-pending excise arrears inherited from the previous SAD-BJP and Congress governments. In the current financial year (2025–26), the department has already recovered Rs. 1.85 crore, and approval has been granted to auction 27 properties with a combined base value of Rs. 20.31 crore (at Collector Rate), marking a significant stride toward fiscal accountability.
In a press statement issued here, FM Cheema revealed that the auction process for these properties is in progress. “As part of this recovery drive, 14 properties located in Sri Muktsar Sahib, Fazilka, and Mansa districts will be auctioned in the first two weeks of September,” he stated.
watch…….“Safe Punjab” Portal Drives Over 5,000 FIRs in Anti-Drug Campaign: Harpal Cheema
Providing further details, Cheema explained that on September 4, six properties in Mansa and Bathinda districts—comprising agricultural and commercial/residential land valued at Rs. 5.4 crore—will be auctioned. On September 8, four agricultural properties in Sri Muktsar Sahib, with a total base value of Rs. 4.89 crore, will be put up for sale. Additionally, on September 11, four agricultural properties in Sri Muktsar Sahib and Fazilka, valued at Rs. 1.99 crore, will be auctioned.
The Finance Minister also announced that eight more properties will be auctioned later in September to maintain the momentum of the recovery campaign. He highlighted that the government aims to recover substantial revenue from 67 pending arrears cases within this financial year, as part of a broader strategy to clear legacy dues and unlock stalled revenue.
Contrasting the current efforts with the inefficiencies of the previous SAD-BJP and Congress regimes, Finance Minister Cheema emphasized that under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s leadership, license fees are now being collected promptly, preventing new arrears. He described the recovery of long-pending dues as a critical step toward bolstering Punjab’s fiscal health and reaffirmed the Aam Aadmi Party-led government’s commitment to compliance, accountability, and transparent governance. Cheema underscored that these efforts reflect the government’s resolve to uphold financial integrity and maintain public trust.
